Bloody Roar on Planet Earth
by Kuzcopia
Summary: So our popular fighters are heading for another Zoanthrope tournament when their transport ship gets attacked. They're forced into a violent landing on planet earth. Scattered and alone, alliegences will be made and they will try to survive.
1. Chapter 1: The beasts are upon us

_So I was playing Bloody Roar 3 on my X-box and I thought some kinda animation movie with this idea would be awesome. Bloody Roar claimed one of the best concepts for fighting. Animal Metamorphs. Had the idea for a story and started to write it, had to do some reasearch on the new Bloody Roar 4, to find more characters. I didn't use Crow and some other from the first Bloody Roar and I thought up two characters of my own; don't want to ruin the surprise, I'll tell you which once they show. Every other character and recognizable terms as Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line is mine._

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time. _

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It is 2061 and right behind the moon; the first alien ship sits tight waiting for something.

It is to be expected that all of earth has gone into an unbelievable frenzy probably not even noticed by these aliens. The moon was fairly occupied and less now that they were so close. But that was the case on the planet of regular humans…leaders trying to avoid the media, the media trying to kill each other for news, people taking strikes everywhere to sit home and see what's happening and corporations like NASA and the united nations space agency having to force sleeping pills down their scientists' throats so they can get some sleep every three days or so, think right once in a while. But in the ship, all hell has broken loose.

To the naked eye it just sits there waiting, but if you would peek inside…you would see animals with human traits fighting a bloody battle, metamorphing from men to beast to men again to beast and so on. You see, it is a ship from a race of metamorphs that have a custom. Every few years they have a tournament between their best warriors who voluntarily fight to see who's best and win the prize… but this ship was hijacked by terrorists who were now fighting for control of the ship against the royal guard.

A man stands half frightened, half threatening hearing the screams and shouts and looking around at the stasis pods that were transporting the champions. Suddenly, the blast door for that room starts getting hammered. He looks to his squad of last guards and says:

"Don't transform yet, you'll waste your energy"

"Any last tactical advice to give cap'n?"

"Kill at least two of them. Boys, you do know what I have to do right?"

"Yes, fire off the stasis pods to that habited planet and self-destruct this ship."

"That's right…no terrorist must ever succeed in any attempt of terrorizing. Tell me…are we afraid?"

"HELL NO SIR!"

"Yer' damn right!" The captain shouts, proud of his boys. Not one of them falters.

"Sir, once the door comes down, escape and head for the bridge. Blow up this defiled junkyard."

"I can't leave you in the battle alone!"

"You're the only one strong enough to pierce through them sir!"

"God dammit you're right…I'll just fire the stasis pod right now." The captain says, but as he runs to fire the escape pods the blast doors come down, he turns to the door and runs at it shouting:

"MAKE SURE YOU… " He starts his transformation; he puts his hands on the floor running like a quadruped while his head turns gray and gains two horn; from head to toe, he turns into a rhinoceros… "SET THEM FREE." He shouts as he pierces right through a bull, stomping him like if he was nothing. This was a rhino with human traits; it basically means he just turned himself into a huge man with the characteristic horns and some really heavy paws plus the hardened skin.

He pierces through and heads to the bridge…his loyal men also transform and half of them fend off the attackers while the other half fires the now escape pods. A snake-like woman runs through the whole room evading attacks with spineless stunts she conjures as she frees the stasis pods.

"Damnation! Somebody stop that rhino! And start blowing up the pods already!" One of the attackers shouts.

Back on the bridge the captain, in his beast form, finds a beast ox. They both stand up on both legs and the ox wins the height contest…but the captain had the weight.

"You'll never have them!" The captain says.

"We want them DEAD you fool!"

"Why?"

"They are unholy, they are foul! One of them has power like no one has ever seen before, he could destroy us all can't you see that?"

The captain wasn't a man to just give up on an argument, but he hadn't the time so he just says:

"Get out a' my way!"

"I know the procedure; you want to blow this thing. Over my dead body!"

"THAT'S THE POINT!" The captain shouts as he stomps his way into a two legged run, he lets his front legs fall and charges the ox with the kind of strength he could not withstand. He pushes him right into the controls and presses the button he was diving for.

Most of the contenders die in the explosion…only the few to get out first survive. That was a massive ship holding on to more than 200 passengers, 50 contenders alone sleeping comfortably through the whole ordeal. Little more than a dozen survived.…out of 200 little more than a dozen made it out and now they were on their way to the most aggressive and ignorant planet on the entire system. Superstitious, religious, and now watching patiently but VERY nervously as pods circle the moon and head right into their planet. They watch as they enter the atmosphere and bash into cities, deserts, rivers, forests, mountains and bridges causing such havoc that the only positive side was that they would undoubtedly be captured and secured for later studies by the most intelligent minds on earth…or should there be any doubt?

In any case, the whole world gasps as the first alien visitors land aggressively in man's lap. The scientists are sweating, the media actually pull guns on social workers and public transports to get them there, and the whole world stops working if only for a few minutes waiting to know the most important question there is in such an incredibly and rushed situation…"what now?"

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_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, what now indeed. Excuse for any mistake, ortographic, grammatic or otherwise but English is not my language, still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	2. Chapter 2: Meet the Beasts

_Hello. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is mine._

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time.  
_

-/- -/- -/-

Some years pass and the prime minister is having a most important meeting…

"Okay people…tell me we finally have things under control. I'm tired of hearing what ifs and maybes and whatever expression you use for uncertainty. It's been 3 years now and I want to know…how do we stand about the beasts?

"Well sir, as you know, opposite to our hopes in pinpointing the pod's landing zones, we were unable to secure most of the alien species. Nevertheless, we captured 3 and found out they were metamorphs. They could turn into beasts…"

"Yes, about that. Have you any explanation?"

"Actually yes, we were able to determine this very recently." The scientist nervously carries on. "Well, we are unable to exactly say how they morph because we can't observe their natural habitat and environment. But we still were able to find out quite a lot. We know that they do not need to sleep. You see, their true form is the beast one but it takes a lot out of their metabolism, a lot of energy. With our subjects we were able to find out that their metabolism happens to work in a very logical way: Their body energies and such go where they need too, when they transform, all the metabolism goes into steroid factor. It pumps up their muscles and five senses and stamina turning them into a scary fighting machine. But, like I said, it takes a lot out of them. It's all controlled very much like our nervous system, which as you know stresses our body or relaxes accordingly to the circumstances we find ourselves; while ours works automatically, they can control this factor. They can transform when they want too, it just doesn't make much sense and they don't do it."

"Why doesn't it make much sense?"

"Well…you don't want to just walk around full of adrenaline, breathing faster with your heart pumping thrice its normal speed. They do it when the situation demands it but they do it consciously and voluntarily, opposite to our body. Anyways, in the human form, the entire metabolism turns to healing and resting; in basic terms, they can be fighting an army but if they're in their human form, it's like sleeping for them. That's it, but things get more complicated when they turn to beasts. They have an instinct for survival, or at least their body has, and as they start taking damage and being wounded, the metabolism starts working on those wounds even if the beast doesn't want it too.

When it reaches a certain limit, the body will transform itself back into human shape so it can take care of the wounds… which is remarkably impressive, the cure process: fast and extremely effective."

"I think I understand the concept. Shall we say they don't suffer any damage…up to what time could they remain in their beast form?"

"A day, maybe two."

"Very well. Now, apart from the scientific knowledge we're all happy to gain here, I still want to know what we know about their race. Where did they come from? Can we expect a salvage ship? Do they know anything about spaceship technology or any technology even? But more importantly for now, have we tracked all the others?"

"Well our specimens seem to have suffered severe brain loss so we really can't say."

"Have all the others also shown this amnesia?"

"We are most certain of it, yes."

The prime minister sighs; it had been one hell of a turn at office. _The alien ship explodes and sends this semi-gods in our lap for only GOD knows what purpose. Scouts? Warriors to destroy us all? Peace keepers? Just an accident?_ He's thinking but then notices that the scientist is talking again:

"But we can answer the last question. As you know 17 pods crashed in our planet. Three of them we retrieved in time. Gado, the lion; Shina, the leopard and Stun, the insect."

"Yes yes, but what about the others?"

"Well, about the pods. The one that landed in the Amazon jungle, we couldn't reach it in time and I doubt anyone could. That jungle can be quite aggressive, even for these beasts, he may probably be dead. Then there's the one that bashed into a mountain on which we only found feathers; he must've turn into some kind of bird and flew. And one landed right in the middle of Macau, the bad part, we also don't know what has happened to that beast.

As you know, the first we found was on the news, the media got to it first. It was a young girl with brown hair, shorts and big sporting sweater with sleeves twice as big as her arms. She seems to only transform half way into a cat."

"What do you mean transform half way?"

"Well, all the beasts are animals with human traits. You could say she was a girl with cat traits. She gets the fur, tail, whiskers and obviously the strength and everything else, but you can still clearly see who she is."

"Oh right, I remember now. Why is that?"

"We think it's due to a hormonal unbalance. She kept running around Chinese territory frightful and changing uncontrollably but a year back she just disappeared."

"Yes, I remember that too. The Chinese didn't let us get her, assured us they would handle it….pfff. Next?"

The scientist presses a button on a remote control showing two Asian adults completely alike except for the glasses one carries. Athletic with brown hair.

"Twins Shenlong and Long…at least we believe them to be twins. They started representing the yakuza two years ago as the twin tigers. Long turns into a regular Siberian tiger while Shenlong turns into a silvered one with blue stripes."

"Yes yes, I know. Next."

"Well, Busuzima who worked for us. He can turn into a giant chameleon and bend with the environment. He escaped us over a year and a half now."

"I know that, next."

"Our spy in the yakuza also tells us they've found a woman who can turn into a bat and I reported the existence of a mole man last year."

"Right right, you've informed me about all those before. Any news?"

"Well, on one of our missions, Gado sniffed another one. He engaged the referred beast in combat but was outsmarted and the wolf got away. "

"Wolf?"

The scientist presses another button showing another brown haired; it was a young Japanese man wearing a white shirt and black shorts.

"According to Gado, his name is Yugo and he can turn into a wolf."

"Heh, a wolf man?"

"Ironic but Gado says he's the greatest threat yet. His fighting skills are amazing, his endurance and perseverance are notable. We have found him again yesterday and are planning to catch him today actually. Shina will be accompanying Gado this time."

"Very well, next."

"Well, we know of reports about beasts but they're incoherent and erratic."

"Tell me anyways."

"Well, a monster with horns all over his body, a blue dragon but we believe we shouldn't trust these claims."

"So you brought me here to lecture me and tell me you've yet to find anyone new? The yakuza are actually doing better than us?"

The scientist stutters and so the prime-minister speaks for him, impatiently.

"Look, you call me when you have something NEW, like a beast or some sort of indication to what they WANT or PLAN alright? Otherwise, just send me the written reports. I can still read…" He gets up and leaves.

The scientist leaves the conference room, walks through innumerable halls and finally arrives at his researching sites. Next to his computers, Gado stood leaned to a wall waiting patiently for his father too return.

"Finally. What did he say?" Gado asks.

"He's not happy about the results son, and to tell you the truth, I am starting to fear for what will happen if we fail. Having such powerful beings like you roaming free or under the mafia is very dangerous. People will get hurt…Yugo might lead us to a nest of them, he's got to have a hiding spot and I doubt he could've lived all these years alone, without any guidance."

"I will get him this time…" Gado says, looking fiercely at the wall.

"WE will get him brother…" Shina says, exiting one of the dark halls into the room.

"Yes, you will do it. I have great faith in you two." The scientist says, patting their shoulders. "Now go, show him the wrong of his vigilante ways."

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_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, hope you liked it. I'm sorry for any mistake, ortographic or grammatic or otherwise, but English is not my language. Still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	3. Chapter 3: Survival of the Fittest

_Hello. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line is mine.  
_

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time.  
_

-/- -/- -/-

A long way from the Japanese prime minister's office, on a city called Tokyo, a young man and a girl dined at a restaurant.

"Hahaha, so then the guy stutters for like 10 seconds before he can even say a phrase and then finally "please don't eat me!" and I'm like "Ugh, you're ruining my appetite buddy, shut up!""

The girl laughs out loud while the young man drank some soda, staring at her thinking how lucky he was to have found her…

"Hahaha, that was funny Yugo. You really said that?"

"You can bet your little cute tail I did Uriko. He just let go of the bag, I grabbed it and gave it back to the lady."

"I'm glad you had a reason to leave me alone in the middle of the shopping mall."

"I told ya I would never leave your side without DAMN good reason. And I won't…"

They smile and finish their food in silence, contemplating the peace and quiet because peace and quiet didn't come that often to people like them.

Once they finish and Yugo pays the bill, they go for a walk. It was deep night so the streets were empty; they walk past some skyscrapers with some cars still flying around.

"Hey sis, you wanna go to this here rooftop?" Yugo asks, pointing at a building.

"Why?"

"Well, don't you like heights?"

"Well yeah, but you don't."

"But I do love the moon…" he comments with a smirk, right before challenging her. "C'mon, I'll race ya!" He says, transforming into a wolf and running towards the building. Uriko screams "you cheater!" as she also transforms into the were-cat and starts climbing the building after Yugo.

It was dark and the naked eye would never see two persons climbing a building, but there was no one around to see so it really didn't matter. Yugo's the first to arrive, transforming back to human form once he's safely in the rooftop. Uriko on the other hand transforms back just as she is stepping the edge of the building saying:

"Chan chan!" But her victory quickly falls short as she looses her balance. She falls, but only halfway because Yugo grabs her hand and pulls her up hugging her.

"Tee-he always looking out for me heh brother?" Uriko says, in his arms.

He smiles and sits down on the ledge with Uriko by her side.

"What would I ever do without you…" Uriko comments.

"Fall off a building?" Yugo jokes.

"Shut up, I mean it. Thanks to you I wasn't captured by those meanies in uniform. And you also taught me how to control my transformation and not to be scared. I owe my life to you."

"Well, you may think that but in this insanity, you're the only one that keeps me sane and on track. If it weren't for you, I'd have given up on this a long time ago…

"Given up on what?"

"This! I mean what are we doing here? I've only met a few like us and one of them nearly killed me for only God knows what reason! It's a miracle I've even learned this language, let alone the difference between army, governments, mafia, criminals and policemen and…between us and the rest of the regular people. I don't remember who I am, who WE are."

"Well I may not remember who we are, but I KNOW who we are…brother." Uriko says, hugging his arm and lying her head on his shoulder, cuddling.

"And that, Uriko, is what keeps me sane…you're keeping me going."

"Well I'm glad I have SOME use. I still don't understand why you won't teach me to fight."

"You don't need to fight. This is not survival of the fittest you know? There's no need to involve you in any violence or dangerous situation." That moment Yugo smells it; beasts behind them. He gets up scared and threatened as he looks to the other end of the rooftop.

"What is it?" Uriko asks.

"Gado the lion…and someone else."

"Told ya I need to learn how to fight."

"This ain't the time sis, you can scorn me later, RUN!"

"But I can help!"

Gado shows up with a jump and lands hard on the floor in his transformed state. He was one intimidating beast, a lion-man. Besides him Shina lands as a very robust leopard, both of them were fully clothed. They charge Yugo while Gado orders Shina.

"JUST RUN!" Yugo shouts transforming into a grey wolf with beaming red eyes. Uriko quickly turns into her beast form and jumps off the building, with Shina right on her tail, literally trying to bite it. Gado on the other hand catches Yugo with a spear move pushing him off the building and in the air, he starts tearing off his skin and flesh; he tries to inflict enough damage for Yugo to turn back.

But still in the air, Yugo growls and ferociously sticks his claws on Gado's shoulders, turns him around so HE is facing the floor, brings his legs to his torso and then jumps off Gado towards a window, bringing pieces of flesh and blood from Gado's shoulders with him. He crashes into the window and falls on the floor rolling, bleeding a lot from the chest;

"God damn it! That crazy monster almost tore me to pieces. Hope that fall and wounds put him out cold." He then remembers the leopard going after Uriko…

"Uriko!"

He runs through the office, going THROUGH the cubicles and bursting out of the window onto another building. He still had her scent…but he was bleeding bad, how long could he stay as a wolf? He uses his hands to run and just dashes all he can hauling from rooftop to rooftop.

A few blocks away, Uriko is cornered on a building and forced to hide on a dark room full of cubicles with computers. She gets in one and hides as the door to that room closes…again.

"I know you're here…" A female growl says. "Why are you so afraid? We only want to help. We're the good guys… show up."

Uriko hears steps getting closer then farther, circling the whole room.

"Or don't…I can smell you anyways." Shina adds. Uriko hears different noises but she knows it might be true she knows where she is; she couldn't do anything about it though. All Uriko could do was cower like a weak animal. Suddenly, the noises stop and the door of Uriko's cubicle gets ripped out and there she stood; the leopard, fully clothed in her vest, trousers and top.

"Hello little kitten!"

Uriko meows the hell out of Shena's hears and jumps from the cubicle running towards the window but before she gets there, Shena lands right next to it, between Uriko and the window. Uriko falls on her behind terrified but suddenly, the floor bursts open and Yugo lands between Uriko and Shena, growling. Shena growls back, unafraid.

"Gado is hurt! Go help him." Yugo says, in a threatening manner.

Shena smells the blood and looks at Yugo's torso.

"You're hurt! How do I know he's not chasing you?"

"Do you smell him?"

She sniffs but Yugo was right, he wasn't nowhere near there and Gado wouldn't loose a wounded beast that easily.

"GO…HELP…HIM." Yugo orders in between growls, using his right arm to point in the direction of the building; it was also a subtle threat.

"We will catch you Yugo…" She says right before leaving through the newly shattered window.

Uriko immediately grabs Yugo as he falls transforming back. "Uff…I'm exhausted."

"Brother! Your chest!" She shouts worried and transforming back.

"It'll heal…but it's no use if we just sit here. We have to move."

"Look at you, you can't move."

"Trust me, it doesn't matter if I move or not…besides, I only bought us some time. We have to go."

"Where too?"

"A friend…in Kyoto. I'll be healed by then. If he's found someone else, we won't have to hurry your training."

"Training?" Uriko asks, for the first time showing excitement and relief; her brother was alright.

"You can't keep depending on other people. Not even me. I never knew Gado had a friend. There might be more…we need to start preparing if there's gonna be an all out brawl between us beasts."

"Survival of the Fittest."

Yugo laughs a little and then says, getting up. "Yeah, I guess it will be."

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, hope you liked it. I'm sorry for any mistake, ortographic or grammatic or otherwise, but English is not my language. Still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	4. Chapter 4: Choose your sides!

_Hello! Get ready for a really long one. Well, twice as long as the first ones. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line is mine. And, by this point, I already got reviewers which I am very happy about. Thank you bunch to current and future, hope I don't dissapoint you. :)  
_

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time. Sya downstairs.  
_

-/- -/- -/-

In the mist of London's night, a shadow flies through streets and corners and dead ends, fleeing from two feline monsters that acrobatically and swiftly leap behind her. It is only ironic that the escapee is often referred to as a "rat with wings" when in reality she would make anyone believe she was a vampire. Her name is Jenny, blonde and beautiful she has a bat as her beast form. And though she might very well be swift and the only one known to fly, she is cornered when Long kicks her sending her crashing through a window and into a church where she stops in mid air and flies grabbing on to the ceiling, upside down, and looking to the entrance as the dark figures of the brother tigers enter…in their human form. 

"Now Jenny, there's no need to panic. We only want to help…"

All Long gets is silence, he sighs a smile and says:

"At least talk to us, I know where you are, your smell is unmistakable."

"You work for Yakuza!" Jenny shouts, from the dark, then changing positions. Long's eyes follow her in the dark, he couldn't see her, but he knew where she was by the subtle sound of a flap and scent.

"Why is that so bad? They are honourable; they honour their promises and show only justice with an iron fist. Is that so bad? They want to help us. They want to help us find out who we are and what we're doing here."

"I've seen the government and mafia work. There's only one thing they serve willingly and that's their interests!"

"Trust us…it's not like that."

"LIKE HELL IT ISN'T!" Jenny shouts thrusting herself against Long who immediately transforms but is still hit by her razor shaped wings in the chest; she jumps and goes after the white tiger Shenlong while the human Long reappears from the tiger.

She screeches and he roars as battle wages through all over the church. The benches and windows shatter, the pillars almost break down, statues turn to pieces. They both take a lot of damage, a pretty fair fight until Shenlong grabs a wing attack and flips, waving her a few times, aggressively throwing her afterwards; she hits a bench, ricochets off the floor hitting two more benches while transforming back. She hits the wall already unconscious.

Shenlong transforms back, breathing hard and checking his wounds; he sees Long getting up and says sarcastically:

"Thanks for the help…"

"She's faster than we thought isn't she?"

"Humpf. Goes down like everyone else."

"Heh, guess so. Let's take her back to the boss, maybe he can turn her."

"I have no doubt she will see the right path."

From the corner of the church, camouflaged, stood Jenny's travelling partner who decided to stick this one out. His name is Busuzima and all he wants is to live but as years pass he finds out that means to follow orders or to fight against those who would order him.

"Maybe I should've helped her…"

"I smell something. I think we have another!" Shenlong growls.

Busuzima takes his head out of the window and cowers behind the wall.

"What can I do against them now? What's done is done; I gotta get out o' here and find that sanctuary Jenny was talking about. Kyoto she said…"

Busuzima jumps to another building and climbs it transforming to human again to evade the scent. Even if they could smell that high up, they wouldn't mind a human. He waits for the next day.

"Chrono…" a voice calls out. "Chrono…you've slept enough, come back from the ashes…" on a bottle stood the ashes of a burned body, the last pod to be released had been in flames and arrived only to explode. But these two, who now called out to someone, saved the ashes on a bottle. One of them was a blue haired woman dressed in leather by the name of Uranos. The other was monk looking and dressed in blue, named Ryoho. It was Uranos who called out to Chrono.

"Time to accept your responsibilities Chrono…we're in hostile land. Wake u…" Uranos doesn't finish the sentence. The ashes start leaving the bottle mouth into the air, the room fills up in warm heat, then really hot heat.

"Get out!" Ryoho shouts, jumping out the window; Uranos follows him almost burned by the pyromaniac explosion that took place in mere seconds. Fires raged through all the windows but yet, they burnt nothing. Eventually a muffled vacuum sound is heard as the smoke gets sucked back unrealistically; Ryoho and Uranos climb back up to see a naked young man with white hair lying down in a fetus position, they bow before him:

"It was true sire, you are truly a god." Ryoho says.

He is surprised for a moment, but only for a moment. All along he has been trying to conquer the kingdom and now, apparently, he had two of the most powerful beasts that ever existed at his knees. He doesn't know what's going on, but quickly gets into play, a play recorded in his mind since his childhood.

"My loyal subjects do not bow before me." he gets up. "Thanks to you, I was able to come back to lead us along the right path. But alas, I do not recognize this land. Where are we?"

"It is called planet earth sire. They tried to catch us, various times, but we never gave up on you." Uranos explains.

"I have thanked you already." he tells her rashly. "Now tell me of this world, who tried to capture us? And are there anymore of us?"

"Yes, we've heard rumours of at least 5 but believe there are even more."

"Good good; we must find them. They must join us. Are these people peaceful?"

"No sire, they all attack us on sight, though they really lack the power."

"Then we shall punish them all, yes…yes…we shall conquer this world. I will rule it and transform it into a peaceful righteous and powerful world… like I did ours." he lies

"You remember sire?"

"Oh my dear soldiers, of course I remember. I'm a god after all, I would not forget. Get me some clothes, I will tell you all about my kingdom…" Chronos says with a smile that made the two warriors shiver.

It had been two days meanwhile, and Yugo was now leading Uriko through a street. They stop before a dojo as Yugo checks the name on it. It said:

"Bakugo's zoo." He laughs a little and says:

"This is the place."

"How do you know?"

"The name's a cross between his name and mine."

"Huh? Why zoo?"

"Can't you guess?" Yugo asks, opening the door.

She giggles, following Yugo inside. He closes the door behind him and asks out loud:

"You think I haven't noticed you?"

Like a shadow, the young ninja lands in front of Yugo and hugs him, Yugo pats his back asking:

"Everything alright?"

"Now it is. I'm so glad you found another. Introduce me, introduce me."

"Bakuryu, this is my new sister Uriko. Sis, this is a really good friend of mine, Bakuryu. He's going to teach you how to fight."

"Hey Uriko!" Bakuryu greets, going around Yugo. "I'm so glad you decided to come. I didn't know I was teaching you to fight. I don't think I'm old enough."

"That was incredible! I wanna do those things." She begs, excited.

"What things?" Bakuryu asks.

"Being silent and swift and… and and fast! You must be an awesome fighter. You will teach ME?"

"Why miss Uriko, it would be an honour. But first lemme show you around."

"Alright. Oh! Oh! To what do you transform into?"

"Into a mole."

"A…mole?" Uriko asks, kinda disappointed.

"Disappointed? Wait a second…" Bakuryu gets some space between them and spins transforming into an enormous brown mole with blade-like claws.

"WOW!" Uriko shouts, impressed and excited. Bakuryu turns back into human form and asks:

"Can I see what's yours?"

"No…" Uriko replies embarrassed.

"Aw c'mon, I showed you mine."

"Alright, get ready…" Uriko says also gaining some space. She spins transforming into a were-cat and while at it, trips and "woooaaahhh!" falls down. Bakuryu immediately goes to her rescue helping her up.

"A cat?"

"A were-cat…" Uriko says, really embarrassed.

"Well, you have achieved cuteness overdrive heheh. I'll teach you to protect yourself real good."

She turns back to her normal form, without the spinning, and joyfully says:

"Yay! Thank you so much." She hugs Bakuryu making him blush.

"No problem, but first, let's meet some of the new blood I managed to find."

They get inside the Dojo and see, sitting at a rather large table, a very tall funny looking man with green hair.

"This is a new addition. He tells me Jenny was captured by the twin tigers."

"Hey there." Busuzima greets.

"He can turn into a chameleon and camouflage himself turning nearly invisible so he was able to escape." Bakuryu explains.

"Do we trust him?" Yugo asks.

"Oy! I'm standing right here I am."

"Oh sorry, so do we trust you?"

"No respect…no respect at all. I got myself information on both the mafia and the army and am willing to share if you just take me in."

"How?"

"I've worked for both I did."

"WHAT?" Yugo shouts, looking at Bakuryu.

"He just arrived. I was hearing this story when you guys showed up."

"Well, what can you tell us?" Yugo questions. Bakuryu leaves the negotiations for Yugo and heads back to be next to Uriko, he tells her:

"Look at Yugo taking charge…" Uriko giggles as silently as she can, while Busuzima answers:

"The army has three beasts. Gado the lion, Shina the leopard and Stun the insect."

"The insect. Is he strong?"

"Very."

"More than Gado?"

"Course not crazy pup. I'd say almost as."

"Very well, what more?" He questions, ignoring the nickname.

"I can give you the regions I can, where all the others arrived."

"We'll do that later. You know of anymore beasts?"

"Well, yakuza's got the twin tigers, Jenny the bat and Fox the…huh…fox."

"heh, we're not in that much of a disadvantage after all. What more do you know?"

"Reports for other beasts. A…"

"Also for later. Okay, we're going to set Uriko right and then I'll come back to talk to you. Sit tight and don't move."

"Sit tight and don't move? What am I, canine?" Busuzima repeats in a mock tone.

"Just so we're clear." Yugo says. "Let's go." He adds to his two friends watching.

Bakuryu and Uriko follow Yugo across the entrance hall and into another part of the building. When they're out of hearing, Yugo asks:

"What do you think?"

"I think he's being honest."

"Of course he's being honest, I mean about his loyalty! Should we trust him?"

"Well, he's been in the army and in the mafia and didn't like it. That's good news."

"I know, but Shenlong seemed as loyal to the mafia as Gado and Shina seemed to the government. How come no one has a hold on him? To invite a betrayer makes me feel uncomfortable."

"He betrayed our enemies."

"Right, but will he accept them AS enemies? He seems more like the guy who'll run away if the going gets tough. And no way can we trust him to spy on them; he would squeal our localization in a heartbeat if caught."

"I think we should give him a chance…" Uriko says. Yugo and Bakuryu stop walking and look at her.

"Why?"

"Nothing to loose?" She asks, frightened.

"I agree." Bakuryu agrees.

Yugo sighs and concedes:

"Me too…" They start walking again. "But I still don't feel comfortable."

"Have you ever?"

Yugo laughs and says "good point". They open a door and there stood the other member of Bakuryu's dojo.

"Hello Alice. Look who dropped by." Bakuryu calls out.

She takes her eyes of the television to look at Yugo. She immediately runs towards him and hugs him.

"You're back! I've missed you! Why'd you take so long?"

"It's her fault." Yugo says, pointing at Uriko.

"AH!" Uriko shouts. "You meanie!" She hits Yugo's shoulder.

"Don't be mean Yugo." Alice says.

"I'm not mean! Anyways, Alice, this is my newly appointed sister Uriko. Uriko, this is the love of my life, Alice."

"Wow, you're his girlfriend?" Uriko asks, excited.

"Yes I am, pleasure to meet you sis."

"Me too me too! To what animal do you transform?" Alice doesn't answer, she simply transforms into a human sized white rabbit.

"No waaaay! You're a bunny!" Uriko shouts in a jolly jumping around Alice and finally hugging her. "You're so cute!" She lets go and transforms into a were-cat while Alice transforms back into her beautiful self and comments:

"Awww, you turn into a kitty." Uriko transforms back and says:

"Yeah, I'd prefer a lioness or something but ah well."

They joke around for a few more minutes until Uriko finally asks:

"Is there anyone else?"

"Yeah, there's Falcon the…huh…falcon. He didn't manage to see his name on the pod." Bakuryu answers

"hihihi, where is he?"

"Not here now. I sent him to make a sweep of Macau."

"Why?" Yugo asks.

"Busuzima said government intelligence pin-pointed a pod on Macau and since there's some disturbance over there too, he thinks that one hasn't gone anywhere."

"Alrighty then. Bakuryu take care of Uriko. Alice, you wanna come with me to further interrogate this Chameleon guy?"

"Yeah alright, television sucks anyways." Alice says, following Yugo.

Bakuryu takes Uriko to the training room and Yugo heads back to the entrance hall to speak with Busuzima. On the way, he and Alice take a few minutes to make out and vacate all the stress of being away, and then finally go into the room.

There Busuzima was watching the news on the TV.

"Anything interesting?" Yugo asks, sarcastically.

"Actually yes mr. not so pleasant adolescent. There's reports of a fight in Macau, look."

Yugo and Alice worriedly look at the TV and yes, they see it; two beasts having an all out battle in the middle of a main square. They hardly recognized Falcon due to the angles of the camera but the other one must be the one they were looking for. But why were they fighting?

In Macau, Falcon was in his transformed state. A human sized peregrine falcon with his wings coming out of his back, a formed beak of course, his skin was now feathers, white and brown feathers, his head being white. He was fighting what seemed to be a big black thing. But he had find out he was a flea beast. The first insect Falcon even sees and it was the strongest legged one of them all. He was probably the fastest flying beast around, but he was having a very hard time dodging the god damn flea.

He was half done and she wasn't even breaking up a sweat so consequentially, he was getting really pissed. He manages, only god knows how, to grab a leg. He is pulled by the inertia of the jump and movement but when it ends, he holds her in the air and talks:

"Look! Stop! I'm your friend dammit! And people are getting hurt!"

"No friend of mine. Got no friends. You're just like the fire, you want to kill me!"

"NO! I'm LIKE you."

"No you're not! You just want to hurt me." The flea hits Falcon with his other leg, sending him flying against a building. That would have been it if Falcon wasn't used to flying at that kind of speed. He took control of his body and then diverted the dive and averted contact. He lands on the building he would have collapsed with and sees the flea landing on another one about a mile away.

In Kyoto, Yugo says out loud:

"Jesus Christ Falco, just knock him down already."

In Macau, Falcon says to himself:

"That's it. I'm not risking my life to bring you peacefully. C'mon…make the jump."

The flee takes aim, grabs on to the ledge of the building and leans over, readying a position to jump right into Falcon's lap.

From Falcon's perspective, he sees the little black dot disappear and appear in front of him; such was the speed and strength of the jump. But not fast enough…Falcon leans backwards and just sticks his falcon-like claws in the flea's torso. Again, the inertia makes it impossible for the flea to NOT get shredded, slashed from head to feet; Falcon's fingers are almost tore up in the process and even if it unstuck when it reached the toe, it still was enough to send him flying through two buildings.

The dust settles…the police wait for the army and for the first time the media froze up staring in awe. From the rubbles and debris of the second building, a red headed man with his blue trousers all messed up and full of scratches and cuts arises. If the beast's existence had not been public enough…this was public enough! He walks around 20 meters while everyone is still gasping. He digs through some more debris, grabs an arm and pulls it out.

It was a she after all; black hair and black eyes with such an ugly face, a little fat and small to make matters worse. Falcon felt sorry for her, she must've gone through a lot these last three years to lose her mind like that.

"What are you doing? You're surrounded by people, RUN!" Yugo comments from his living room.

Falcon remembers that fact, he was too weak to fly all the way back carrying her but neither of these people would recognize him as the falcon or the woman as the flea. No way had they got a close look at their clothes; he picks her up and walks towards the crowd, scared…

"PLEASE, somebody help me! We almost died in that, help us!" He shouts, in the middle of all the silence. Suddenly the crowd snaps out of it, along with the reporters. They start talking to their cameras:

"And it seems we have some survivors! Sir! Sir!" They run towards Falcon.

"Comments, did you see those monsters? Do you know where they are?"

"What? No, no please! I need someone to give me a lift to the hospital!"

"I'll give you a lift." A stranger offers.

"Oh, god bless you, bless your heart. Lead the way."

"These two will be fine thank god; all we ask ourselves now is…where are the monsters? Who is going to pay for this? Or better yet, what in the world is going on?"

In Kyoto, Yugo turns off the TV and comments:

"He'll throw out the driver and meet us here in a day or so. So Busuzima…tell us, why did you come to us?"

"Jenny found me she did. We met when I was fleeing the mafia. Went together through Europe these past two months but the tigers finally caught up to us, scary hunters they are. They took her. She used to talk about y'all often. Said this was a sanctuary for people like us..."

"Hey! Calm down Bakuryu…I'm dead tired." Uriko says, transforming back to human. "Can we rest a bit?"

"We are resting, if we're in the human state." Bakuryu comments, transforming back into his human form.

"Fine, keep training; I'll try to imitate your moves. I just wanted to talk a little with you."

"Oh alright, follow my lead then. And ask away."

"Well, what's the real deal with this place? What's your goal, do you have one?"

"Well, not a practical one no. We all came across each other by chance you know? Straighten your back, and use your hip on the attacks."

"Ah…alright. You've all met each other by chance?"

"Yeah, I and Yugo met when we were both scared and confused. We fought for a while but when Yugo beat me, he waited for me to wake up because he didn't want to be alone. Based on this we promised each other, once we could communicate right, to make a place where we wouldn't be alone. Once we found out there were more of us, misguided, forgotten or just plain disguised, we promised each other to open their eyes. We have to stick together; we're around 20 to a planet of billions. And me and Yugo found out through various experiences that man often seeks to only fulfil his interests."

"That is true." Busuzima says, three rooms across, to Yugo. "All the others were too much into the "bein' loyal" to think for themselves! It makes me sad it does but I couldn't remain there, no way. I dunno how or why but I knew I was being used I did! Jenny spoke of this place like a free place. One is welcome to stay but not obligated to do anything. You will forcefully bring a beast here and keep him here 'till you are sure he rationally is saying he's not interested. I am interested I am.

"Are you willing to fight alongside us?"

"Depends on what is at stake. Of how much you tell me. When a mission is taking place, I want to know whose it about, why, how, what and 2 back up plans at least. And be assured it's not a suicide mission, I'm sick of those I tell you."

"That's all pretty much our rule. We keep everyone on the level. But I gotta tell you…"

"Truth is Uriko…" Bakuryu says to Uriko, after landing a high kick on a wall. "We become really close to one another. Friends for life and brothers united kind of close. Some even closer…

"I noticed." Uriko giggles.

"I'm terribly worried about Jenny." Bakuryu reminds

"Busuzima, we want Jenny back." Yugo states.

"You want me to prove my loyalty right?" Busuzima asks. "By going undercover and retrieving Jenny."

"No. If you don't feel responsible for Jenny, that's alright, but we do. We never should have sent her alone."

"I do feel responsible I do. Truth be it, I want to help, but I won't go on a suicide mission."

"That's just it; we'll risk our lives for Jenny, just as she will endure any kind of torture instead of giving us up."

"And that's what scares me…" Bakuryu says, heartfelt. "She's like a big sister to me but I don't feel right just going alone. If I don't have the consent and help of everyone, it just doesn't feel right."

"Te-hee!" Uriko giggles, hugging Bakuryu and kissing him on the cheek. "You're all responsible and grown up. But I know what you mean; I obeyed Yugo when he told me to run when Gado and Shina attacked us. He just inspires people to follow him…"

"I'll help you I will…" Busuzima says. "But I want to plan with you and be an equal."

"We're all equals here Busuzima. We're all equals here. I'm glad you chose our side."

Miles away, an old man holding a whip turns to a naked Jenny and says:

"You will turn girl! Sooner or later, you will give all your loyalty to OUR side!"

"NEVER!" She screams, in pain.

Some other, different miles away, Gado arrives at the headquarters, side by side with Shina.

"You failed again…" The scientist realizes.

"Yes…I am sorry."

"Me too, my son. Me too…but all is not lost. I know that wolf man is just being lucky. I sent Stun to the Amazon in a desperate attempt to find that one last missing beast. The one in the mountains just fought and carried off the one in Macau. The rest is still at large."

In the thick jungles of the Amazon, Stun stands before a mighty man called Ganesha. Neither of them beat around the bush.

"I represent the government of a nation. It is regrouping all us beasts to help us get back our memories and guide us back to our home, to also create a relationship with our home. Will you join our side?"

"I have lived here for three years. But my people tell me they are not my people…that I should go to my true people and stand by them as I have done here. I will go with you Stun."

"You are doing the right thing Ganesha. Our leader shall be happy to hear these good news."

"Can you hear it? Can you smell it? Can you sense it?"

"What sire?"

"The air is filled with battle. Our brothers have chosen sides and factions and are ready to fight to death for their beliefs. But do not fear, we are far more powerful than all of them put together. My will be done, or thy might will fall!"

"We stand by your side sire." Ryoho vows.

"Aye." Uranos adds.

"The table is set, the sides have been chosen and the pieces are in motion. Let us not disappoint our misguided brethren…"

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, hope you liked it. This one was a little big I know. The Flea and the Falcon are my own characters, my touch for originality purposes. I'm sorry for any mistake, ortographic or grammatic or otherwise, but English is not my language. Still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	5. Chapter 5: The Pieces are in motion

_Hello. New chapter time. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is mine._

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time.  
_

-/- -/- -/-

Agony, pain, torture...Jenny stands out on the limb, she feels rage towards the monster that didn't help her against the tigers!

_I should've sold him out…I should join the yakuza just so I can kill him with my bare hands and then turn on_…. _NO! _ She shouts in her mind, _I will not falter…my friends will come for me. The tigers can't beat them. Trust for trust, confidence…hang in "_AHHHHHRGGHHH!"

"Good Uriko! You're a lot better!" Bakuryu complements.

"Thanks! You're a great teacher!"

"Yes but I wonder if she's ready for battle…" Yugo questions, worried.

"You don't have to worry about me anymore brother, being the sloppiest fighter here doesn't mean much. When compared to you guys, almost everyone is." She winks.

"She's got a point." Bakuryu points out with a smile.

"You think she's ready for battle?"

"Well, we're only going up against three beasts. The tigers and Fox who I doubt is a better fighter than the tigers. I mean, it's me, you, Falcon, Uniramia, Busuzima, Alice and Uriko. We have a very big advantage."

"We still gotta be waiting for anything. They might have found new ones. Hell, the government might be spying that thing in which case we'd have Gado and god knows who else in there. And the last thing I want is a three way fight with us in the middle, while trying to rescue Jenny."

"That's why Busuzima went ahead to find stuff out."

"How do we know he didn't sell us out?" Falcon asks, getting inside accompanied by the ugly but very kind Uniramia, the flea.

"Doubt it. I can smell lies."

"He might be caught."

"Also doubt it, he was never caught before. He constantly eludes everyone. Better at it than Bakuryu here."

"Hey!" The ninja complains, bothered by the underestimation.

"And that's a good thing?" Falcon questions, out of spite.

"We shall hope so. In the meanwhile, we train and prepare."

Back on Tokyo, Busuzima looked at the building, hearing Jenny's screams and screeches. Thinking of what he should do…

_I could just turn back. Lie to them and then really help in the fight… Nah. Bust in, deliver ass woppin' and retrieve Jenny? I wish… do some recon and try to evade the tigers? Why not? God I hope this works, I don't think I'm as strong willed as Jenny._

He transforms into a chameleon and then says to himself: "Screw this, I'm gonna do something right for once; I'm saving Jenny I am!"

He uses his hearing to pinpoint her location and he decides she's underground, next to a wall of the building. He doesn't know how far and what the floor is made of, but he just goes for it. He climbs the building all the way up then stands on the ledge thinking:

_I am so screwed…_

He jumps from it, falls all the way down through 5 to 10 meters high and hits the ground as hard as he can. Nothing happened, but he heard a crack:

"I'm sure they heard that…I can run away for sure if I go now…" He looked away from the fortress for a few moments, considering it.

He climbs the building back up then jumps again. He sees yakuza men coming to the window but he's camouflaged. He hits the ground and manages to crumble into the room below; there he sees an elder with an electric whip and other gadgets and a naked Jenny with her body absolutely brutalized. But she was in her human state…which means she has been resting this entire time. The elder screams:

"LONG!" Right before landing on the ground, knocked out by a tongue whip strike.

Few seconds later, Busuzima breaks her chains at the same time the door to that room busts down showing a beast tiger who calls out for:

"SHENLONG!"

Busuzima tries to hit Long with his tong but he catches it in the air; Busuzima retracts it before he can grab a hold of it.

"I'm glad you're back traitor!"

"YOU'RE the traitor! You're the one who sold out his kind!" Busuzima says, to his own surprise. He was acting on some stupid suicidal whim and it felt damn good.

"WHAT?" Long asks, confused.

"Jenny, transformation, now! Fly away quickly!"

Shenlong lands right next to the still decaying Jenny, behind Busuzima.

_Donkey poo… _Busuzima thinks. "Jenny, snap out of it! FLY!"

All of a sudden, Jenny gives a battle cry to end all battle cries. While transforming, she screeches so loud and high the glass breaks and the Tigers loose their balance and coherence of movement, their screams of agony blurring their vision and whistling away their hearing. Busuzima wasn't as opened to noise but also felt its effect, right before being grabbed by Jenny who shouts:

"Transform back dammit!"

Busuzima transforms into his human form and is carried away by an ascending Jenny which quickly flies away getting them as far up and away as they can.

Shenlong and Long growl and scream and both at the same time, as they transform back into human form.

"Curse that girl! There was no need for that. We gave them all the time they wanted to get out of here… CHRIST!" Long complains.

"Shut up brother! Fox, did you put a tracer on them?"

"Yup, we foxes know how to be prepared, I had ear mugs as I sat back waiting for them…" A beast yellow fox in red top and shorts says, transforming back to her own self. "We just have to follow the tracer. It'll take us right to them."

"Perrrrfect." Shenlong says growling, even though he was in his human form.

"Yes, I can't wait to put my hands on that traitor. How dare he tell me I betrayed my people? We are fighting for our people."

"Do not worry. I expect our misguided brethren to be enlightened soon. And they might not be the only ones…" Fox adds.

"What do you mean?"

"We are not from this world. Our time here has been few and short sighted."

"You're speaking in riddles again Fox. What do you mean short sighted?"

"Well…Busuzima has been with the government and with us. And yet he chooses this band of misfits vigilantes. You see, we have always been moving and acting in ONE line of belief, seeing only ONE thing. Busuzima has experienced and knows every line we as beasts can take and chose that one."

"Careful there Fox, you're sounding like a traitor at every word you add." Long tells her. Shenlong but stares at her fiercely, threatening her on a different level.

"Not at all. My cunning just tells me that contemplating all points of views increases our awareness of things. I'm just questioning, not taking sides…"

"You mentioned the possibility…"

"That WE might be wrong yes. There is always that possibility, don't you agree?" Fox smiles and vanishes inside the building.

"I don't trust her." Long says.

"We should slit her throat right now. She's talking treachery."

"Don't be so aggressive brother. Patience is sometimes a virtue."

"For the weak. The strong ones act, it is our way."

"You need to use your head sometimes."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Shenlong questions, defiant.

"Nothing." Long shudders. "Nevermind. I'm going to go eat something before we go. Food always makes me a better fighter."

"Humpf! Make sure you eat more than usual. See if you can be useful this time." Shenlong mocks with an angry tone, as always. Long ignored and left the room.

Meanwhile, at the government headquarters…

"I hope this meeting has a point…" the Prime minister comments.

"Well yes, sir, of course. Let me explain the situation…at this moment, there is a house in Kyoto housing 6 beasts. Another two on the way and those two are being traced by Yakuza who is sending THEIR beasts to follow these fugitives and apprehend any who meet them. Of course they don't imagine the tigers and Fox will fall in such a nest of beast fighters. So, we shall have 9 Beasts for the taking."

"Now that sounds very appealing. What are we doing about it?"

"That's just it. I need your authorization to let my beast warriors lead a platoon of Special Forces to apprehend everyone in one shot."

"Your beast warriors haven't been effective before."

"We have two new ones sir. We now have Gado the lion, Shina the leopard, Stun the insect, Ganesha the elephant and Acinon the cheetah."

"How powerful are they?"

"Much more powerful than anyone in Kyoto, apart from Yugo, Bakuryu and Falcon; if the tigers join them, we already have a tactic."

"Tell me…"

"Gado is taking on Yugo. Stun is taking on Bakuryu's ninja skills. Ganeasha and Shina are taking on the tigers and Acinon takes on Falcon. It should be interesting to see who dominates, faster flyer or faster grounder."

"What about the others?"

"That's why we need a platoon. There will only be fighting in extreme circumstances. We hope to have them intimidated with our beasts and man power. We blow up a mortar and then tell them we can shoot that like Bakuryu can shoot knives and they should come along nicely."

"Permission granted. Finally some good and effective news in all these years. Things are piecing together. Bring me good news tomorrow."

"I will sir." The scientist promises, smiling victoriously.

Some hours after, on a rooftop full of helicopters, the scientist shakes Gado's hand:

"Make me proud my son. And whatever happens, remember…follow your instincts."

"I will father. I will."

"Hahahahaha."

"What is it sire?" Uranos asks, confused.

"Nothing much…it's just our brothers are converging on one position. If we get there in time, we might recruit them all in one glorious moment."

"That's really good news sire." Ryoho comments.

"Indeed, I do hope they don't need to be eradicated."

"What do you mean?" Ryoho asks, slightly concerned.

"All who defy my will must perish. 'Tis the only way to rule a kingdom."

"But they're our brothers."

"And that's exactly why I will do everything in my power to convince them. But I need loyal warriors by my side, like you. Who will not question me, understand?" he asked, with a suspicious voice.

" I…I understand."

"Good. Now let's go."

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, things are looking up hey? Acinon is my final personal adition. She's my favourite animal, and by far my favourite feline so I wanted to put a cheetah. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter. More to come soon. I'm sorry for any mistake, ortographic or grammatic or otherwise, but English is not my language. Still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	6. Chapter 6 The table is set

_Hello. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is mine._

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time.  
_

-/- -/- -/-

"Ding dong" a bell sounds out.

"Busuzima…" Yugo smiles, proud and relieved.

"Told ya!" Bakuryu says, heading for the door. When he opens it, he sees Jenny with Busuzima jacket covering her.

"JENNY!" He shouts, hugging her.

"You saved her, I'm impressed." Yugo comments.

"Very impressed." Falcon adds with a smirk.

"Well, I said I hated suicidal missions. Not that I couldn't do them and get out alive." He jested. "When I'm good, I'm good." He was enjoying it. His own private little hero time.

"Now we can rest. Peace and quiet for a few days and then we'll see about our next step." Yugo proposes.

"Yes yes, it is all a perfect miracle, happiness for everyone. Now can I get some clothes? I'm afraid of opening this jacket and knocking you all out unconscious. " Jenny mocks, as provocative as ever..

"It ain't an exaggeration…I've seen it." Busuzima comments from the side, getting a smack afterwards.

"heheh, Of course Jenny. This is Urico the cat, and this is Urinamia the flea. Ladies please take Jenny to the dress room."

"Alright." Urinamia timidly says.

"O.KAY!" Uriko says, excited about meeting the so much mentioned Jenny.

"I didn't think you would come through, but you did even more than you were asked too." Falcon says, turning to Busuzima. "I welcome you as a brother."

Busuzima almost laughs but is able to contain it in a wide smile. He shakes Falcon's hand.

"As do I." Yugo says, shaking his hand.

"And me too." Bakuryu adds, shaking his hand too.

"And me!" Alice says, shaking his hand.

"I'm just glad I pulled it off I am." Busuzima laughs.

"Let's go inside, everything's fine now." Bakuryu proposes.

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, very small one I know. But I wanted to start the other one at a certain point so I had to do this here. Next chapter entitled "Bloody Roar". Hope you liked this little dialogue session though. I'm sorry for any mistake, ortographic or grammatic or otherwise, but English is not my language. Still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	7. Chapter 7: Bloody Roar

_Hello. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is mine._

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time._

-/- -/- -/- -/-

Part 7 – Bloody Roar

It's been 3 years and 64 days since the unknown alien species with the ability to turn to fighting beasts, based on animals, crashed into hearth. Suffering from heavy amnesia, they didn't know who they were and what they could do but worst than that, they didn't know anything about the human race. Nevertheless, in these 6 years, 4 factions were holding on to beast warriors.

Fox, Long the tiger and Shenlong the tiger stood besides Yakuza. Gado the lion, Shina the leopard, Ganesha the elephant, Stun the insect and Acinon the cheetah were loyal to the government. Ryoho the dragon and Uranos the Quimera served Cronos the phoenix. Yugo the wolf, Bakuryu the flea, Uriko the half-beast, Alice the rabbit, Falcon, Uniramia the flea, Jenny the bat and Busuzima the chameleon; this faction has recently welcomed three new members. One of them was Busuzima who has worked for all sides, except Cronos'; he has recently saved jenny and brought her back to their safe house, unaware that they brought with them the Yakuza, which in turn was unaware of the number of beasts Yugo represented unlike the government who, very aware of that fact, sent a platoon of special forces along with their beasts. At the same time, Cronos and his ultimate warriors had finally arrived on Kyoto…

A door is wrecked, the one that lead to the courtyard, from outside. Roars echo through Bakuryu's dojo and surroundings.

"That's a tiger!" Yugo shouts. "Prepare everyone for battle. Bakuryu…watch Uriko's back."

"I won't leave her side." Bakuryu swears.

"I don't need protection!" She shouts annoyed.

"Shut up! Everyone follow me. Let's scare them away with sheer numbers."

Long and Shenlong stood in front of the shattered door with Fox standing on the little wall that covered the dojo grounds. The tigers watch as Yugo shows up, followed by Falcon, Uniramia, Uriko, Jenny, Busuzima, Bakuryu and Alice.

"Brother…they are a lot." Long comments, surprised but fearless.

"Good! This might prove to be fun." Shenlong says. Fox sighs a smile, she knew the tigers were trying to intimidate back. All but a nervous reaction.

"What do you want?" Yugo asks.

Long and Shenlong transform back. Long replies:

"Only to help our kind. Who might you be?"

"I'm Yugo. And you're here for some human master, not for our kind."

"No, because our master only seeks to help our kind." He argues.

"Humpf, tell that to Jenny who endured almost 3 days of continuing torture."

"That's just a method to make her see the right path."

"Yeah right! You should join the government. We stand alone and free and together decide what's better for whom."

"No! I would never betray our master." Long shouts.

"NOR WILL I." Shenlong shouts.

Fox jumps down and says:

"To try and survive, understand this world, without its native humans is foolish. Please reconsider."

"We are not weapons. We serve no master."

"YOU WILL COME!" Shenlong screams, taking on a fighting position. Long does the same.

"Be reasonable, you are greatly outnumbered." Bakuryu tries.

"I am no coward BOY! We will drop you all down." Shenlong shouts, offended. He was out for blood.

"No need to fight individually. Let's take them together and survive together." Yugo says, preparing to transform.

But then, lights are upon them, from everywhere. From the choppers, dozens of Special Forces troops descend into the roof, the wall and the grounds of the dojo, they show up from the inside, from below, from everywhere and surround the fight scene.

"STOP!" Gado shouts, jumping from the chopper and landing on the Dojo's roof, Ganesha and Stun land between the two faction and Acinon lands with Shina where Fox stood before. Acinon was one of the younger fighters there, she wore a leather top and trousers, both black. She looked ferocious.

"This is wrong! We should not fight amongst us. The government assures you all he will not be unfair or treat you like weapons. You will soldier if you want too, otherwise you'll just live your lives until we have found a way to go back to our planet or to help us."

"We will be free to live our lives?" Yugo asks.

"Absolutely."

"That's what we're doing! If what you say is true then why do you keep trying to FORCE us to join you?" Yugo questions, out loud.

"All beasts must be checked in; we cannot have you roam free. No human does."

"That's excuses! I'm tired of these people trying to boss us around!" Yugo shouts, pissed off. "God damn it, can't you see? They're fighting over us, worst yet; they are sending US to fight FOR THEM… OVER **US**! Who has the most loyal beasts possesses an advantage on all others. They just want to serve their petty interests."

"No, that is not it. They want to help us." Gado argues, trying to get some sense into his foes.

"NO! They say that 'cause otherwise we would never join them! We all had a memory loss, who knows how we were affiliated before? Maybe you and Shina are more than brothers, maybe it's not the first time I met Busuzima or something. Some of us may very well be bad guys, but survival put us on another path. WE DON'T KNOW and the humans sure as hell don't care! They don't care, don't you see as they send you time after time after time after other beasts? They'll do experiments; they'll want to know what we're all about and how we can transform."

"Maybe, but I feel right giving something back for their help."

"WHAT HELP? WHAT THE FUCK HAVE THEY EVER DONE FOR US?" Yugo blows up. He was really pissed. Gado is caught of guard, like everyone else actually.

"They taught you about how things work? Can you trust them? Can you trust some men who'd ratter see me and my friends dead than leaving us alone and at peace? Screw that! SCREW YOU! You want us, come down here and take us! ARE YOU WITH ME?" Yugo shouts waving his head around.

"YEAH!" His friends all shout out. Gado transforms letting out the hugest roar. Shina and Acinon join him, Ganesha transforms into an elephant, Long and Shenlong transform into tigers and roar back. Yugo and everyone else transform: Yugo lets out a roar that challenges Gado the lion himself.

Yugo jumps atop the roof against Gado, Falcon attacks Fox, Acinon goes after Falcon like planned, Shina attacks Long from behind while Ganesha takes Shenlong head on. Stun transforms and attacks Bakuryu who was already attacking Long. Uriko stands in shock protected by Busuzima while Jenny jumps in to help Bakuryu and Alice goes help out Falcon. Uniramia brings down all the choppers with skilful jumps and follows up attacking the soldiers on the ground; Guns blazing all around them as the soldiers try to hit the beasts, who fight furiously between themselves.

Uriko finally snaps out of her trance and transforms and, along with chameleon Busuzima, they start to knock out the soldiers all around the dojo.

Battle raged on but only for a few seconds for the last party had arrived to play its part.

"Calm them down Ryoho…" Chrono orders. Ryoho in his mighty blue dragon form gives out a roar to end all roars, breathing fire right after it. The soldiers were already defeated when the beasts stop in their tracks to look up at Urano riding Ryoho and Crono flying, not yet transformed.

"Zoanthropes! Despair no longer, your king is here!"

They're so shocked they all transform back. Falcon lands next to the humanized Fox and transforms back, along with Acinon who also transforms back next to Fox. Gado and Yugo look at the newcomers only one of them was transformed, and it was enough to make his senses tingle.

"OH C'MON! I want'a fight already!" Shenlong complained with a growl.

"Who the hell are you now?" Yugo asks

"I am your king! Our race, mighty and strong, is called Zoanthrope. We are Zoanthropes! And I am your Zoanthrope god, Crono the phoenix! I was burnt to ashes in my fall but came back for you needed me, my dear subjects."

They all looked around perplexed and astonished. But still doubtful until Uranus said, in her cold death driven voice:

"I am Urano, the chimera. This is Ryoho, the dragon. We witnessed the even. He still holds his memories of our past lives, our peaceful and strong world."

"Bullshit!" Shenlong screamed.

"Don't mind him, he doesn't think, he just wants blood." Long said to everyone who looked their way, kind of hoping he had some logic. While he was talking. "Any proof there Crono?"

"What good is proof when I have witnesses? But I have nothing to prove. I am your king, I am your god. You will follow me as you once did."

"And do what exactly?" Yugo asks. Amazingly, there wasn't a question overdrive, probably because the questions were exactly the same ones.

"Survive, conquer this world. Turn it into as much of an utopia as back home." Cronos says.

"If you knew us, tells us something about ourselves." Jenny asks, in the midst of silence.

"Gladly, my subjects." Cronos smiled and looked around. What exactly could he tell…he noticed the tigers.

"Well, first, you tigers aren't brothers. You actually hate each other." They all look at them who look at each other then look back around at all the beasts:

"That actually makes sense…I never did like him" Long comments tilting his head towards Shenlong.

"He pisses me off." Shenlong growls out.

"Busuzima is crazy for experiments, a scientist at heart really, insane genius. Ganesha's one my most loyal followers. You two are brothers." Crono told Yugo and Bakuryo.

This all made sense and all the expressions kept confirming all the half truths Cronos kept adding. There're just some things that make sense inside.

"And you are the king of our people?" Ganesha spoke.

"Yes mighty Ganesha, I am. You need to believe in me and follow my will. Follow what your heart tells you" He says with a devilish smile.

"Our heart?"

"Yes. Certainly you all feel what I'm saying is true. I am Cronos, your…"

"Bullshit!" This time, it wasn't Shenlong but Yugo who shouted. "What I feel is spite and the hidden lies. I know I follow no one! Never did! You are no king and less even a god."

Crono looks angrily at them all and immediately spins transforming into his golden flaming phoenix form.

"I AM GOD! YOU WILL OBEY OR BURN!"

"Now that sounds like a fucking challenge to me!" Shenlong shouts. "I'm with Yugo, let's drop this creep."

"Don't be an idiot brother. He remembers. He's our king." Long argues.

"I am NOT your brother!"

"Everyone shut up!" Crono shouts. "Now accept me as our lord and saviour and we shall start the campaign to perfect this world into a utopia."

"I hear you, I stand by my people." Ganesha states, proudly from amidst the fighters, walking towards him.

Yugo looks at Gado, they already knew the tiger's stand on this, but they held the morale and purpose of larger groups.

"What's your take on this?" Yugo asks.

"He remembers. But he also lies. A man I respect told me to trust my heart and my heart reeks of bloody re-action. Not submission."

"Then we agree." Yugo smiles. "Working together…"

"Even a god would tremble." Gado concurs, optimistic. "Will your group follow lead?"

"We choose individually to act. This is my choice. Each one of them will make theirs."

"Acinon, Stun, Shina." Gado raised his voice. "Any loyalty problems?"

"No." They answered, Acinon shook her head. "Then get ready for blood!" He says, growling his way into a transformation, Yugo does the same as does the rest of Gado's team and Bakuryu and Falcon. Everyone else then transforms but looks around, trying to ascertain which side they were all on. Yugo hadn't any traitors, Gado had Ganesha on Crono's side, the tigers were split apart and Fox was an unknown factor, not even transformed yet.

"Do not do this; it will be a tragedy to kill you all." Cronos pleaded, threateningly.

"We are made of tragedy… born as much to battle as to being ourselves... loyalty does come at the price of emotion and trust. You are all power and no truth." Uniramia comments, to everyone's surprise. "I was driven mad by fear and loneliness. I am no longer lonely…and I am no longer afraid!" She transforms.

"Hell yeah!" Falcon shouts. "Pick your sides people, we're fighting god himself!" He added exhilarated as he took up flight. Uniramia jumps as fast and strong as she can in Crono's direction who evades her and let's her go off a few miles as he looked towards Falcon:

"This grows tiresome. Uranos, Ryoho, Ganesha we shall subdue our brothers, dead or alive."

The trumpet of Ganesha sounds out the signal of war, of battle, of BLOODY ROAR!

Falcon goes down hard on Ryoho's back just as Uranos jumps down transforming into her chimera form. Shenlong leans to dodge a punch from Long, punching him in return; he turns to face the Elephant and locks his hands with his. Meanwhile, Acinon and Fox assault Long who had rolled into standing up to grab Fox's claw and spin her around to throw her unto a wall, which he does just as Acinon gets to him. Fox flips and lands safely on the wall while Acinon dodges a punch and claws him twice, with a forward plunge at his side, then turning around while ducking to avoid a back hand slap and claws him at the belly.

Meanwhile, Uranos is being assaulted by Uriko, Bakuryu, Alice and Shina who dance around her, dodging her attacks as much as possible, and hitting her as more much as possible; Bakuryu was landing the more hits, Shina was getting more hits though for her lack of agility, still she pounded the hardest.

Jenny the Bat flies and lands a wing cut on Ryoho because he had just grabbed Falcon by the head, with his teach, and waved his head to throw him against a wall. Ryoho flame-throws her out of his reach and takes up flight, taking up the fight topside. Again, might versus speed and agility: Jenny pranced around the mighty dragon on a close combat, landing cuts and kicks as she could and avoiding all flames successfully. And Falcon repeatedly ascended and then dived. He had hit Ryoho 4 times already, driving him time and time again unto the floor; his hands hurt like hell but the dragon just kept getting up, the bastard.

Cronos was completely out of reach to Yugo and Gado and starts firing stuff out of his hands or even quick dives with no chance whatever of they getting to him until, that is, Urinamia comes back. She flies by him at an incredible speed, landing on him with her powerful legs and kicking him off as she stopped her momentum. He goes, expelled, towards Yugo and Gado who clothes-line him with their bare claws, turning around and jumping at him again. They were pissed. Uniramia lands and joins the fight against the dragon.

Stun looks around and decids to go help with Ganesha who has just now lifted Shenlong off his feet throwing him into an ego crash on the wall. Stun flickers his wings and rams on Ganesha's back with his mandibles, then grabbing it and pushing him against Shenlong who picks himself up and looks at the Elefant; drawing even farther his claws and growling angry, he jumps towards him with a predator's ferocity. Unable to achieve any balance as he tries to stop Stun from pushing him, he waves his head up managing to hit Shenlong with his trump then matching Stun's pushing force and turning around managing yet again to grab at his arm and wave him once to smash him on the floor.

Busuzima is playing it safe, he keeps looking around, deciding where to intervein, if he intervenes at all. He was all stealthy, and decides to keep back for now.

Uranos had knocked out Alice and was half done with Uriko which was slipping and bending and leaning her way to fortunate but lucky dodges; Bakuryu was getting tired fast and Shina was getting hurt. They weren't doing any serious damage. When Shina gets hit by a frontal dash of something that freezes her unconscious, Bakuryu has an idea; he steps back then runs towards her again, sliding through the ground. Once Uranos tries to squash him, he disappears as a counter and shows up next to her face, sinking one finger of each hand in her eyes, then jumping off her arm, grabbing hold of her head and spinning a lot of times, cracking her head along with it. Uranos transforms back and ultimately down.

"Wohh…I need a breather." Bakuryu sighs, relieved, transforming back. Uriko hugs him overjoyed. "That was great!" He smiles.

Long tries to hit Acinon but no dice, she leans over her body and rotates around him evading any punch, kick, grab or claw he throws at her. Eventually though, Long finally grabs hold of her head; he smashes it against the ground and let's go to have another slash but Fox tackles him who quickly reacts, back rolling to stay on top and resume the slashing on Fox herself which barks screams of pain when he bites her neck. Acinon tackles him on his left side with her two claws, but again, he reacts very quickly rolling and grabbing her collar with his left hand, mid-section with his right and sinking her on the ground, on his right hand. They both transform back, out of it. Long gets up and looks around.

Uniramia jumps and flips forward in mid air so to kick Ryoho, but during the jump, Ryoho opens his mouth and expels fire towards Uniramia who screams terrified; Falcon lands another claw-dive on Ryoho which makes him stop. Uniramia lands on the floor and decides to go help out with Ganesha. She jumps towards him just as he nears Shenlong, and kicks him straight in the back of his head, as hard she could, breaking into a wall a second later. Ganesha's put off balance because of this and Shenlong opens his eyes in fury and jumps for an uppercut at his jaw; he gets hit and consequently leans back, almost falling. Stun rams against his legs, serving as a landing platform as Ganesha earthquakes a fall and Shenlong drops on him like a hungry hyena, not caring about Stun, sinking his claws on his chest and ripping them off, then sinking again with his teeth helping. The encounter with Ganesha's falls and subsequent hammering put Stun out cold. Uniramia, which was still burning when she made the attack, crashed on the referred wall and passed out, transforming back.

Ganesha transforms back but Shenlong doesn't stop, not until he hears:

"Always the prodigal savage." Long comments, with a smirk.

"YOU!" Shenlong shouts, getting up and facing his said brother with a fierce look.

"I'm not afraid of you Shenlong."

"Humpf… you should be. I'm gonna tear your heart out…"

"How… cliché of you; you really take this beast thing seriously. Me? I'm just going to kill you. Put you down like the animal you are."

"BRING IT ON!" Shenlong roars as Long jumps for a tackle.

Meanwhile, Cronos was honestly playing around with the two beasts. The fact that the Phoenix's movements weren't bound by gravity made it difficult for these instinct based fighters to read his moves. He'd kick when the perfect combo is a punch just because he doesn't have to jump. That and the fire that went along with his strikes like wind followed suit with a fast punch. Still, Yugo and Gado would never stay down.

"Do you not see how inevitable your rebellious attempt is? Soon you'll be back to human shape? Will you still fight then? Do you wish to die in stupidity? You should serve." He speeches as he beats the crap out of the Lion and Wolf, he was pretty comfortable when a downed Yugo suddenly grabs his leg.

"You're the…" Gado has taken advantage and quickly rams against Cronos with a spear move, taking him all the way off the roof, unto the ground. "fool" But alas, in mid air, Cronos is able to spin and ends up landing on Gado other than the reverse. "AH!" He picks up Gado the Lion and takes him up unto an aerial combo of up to 20 strikes, flaming strikes, down and up, up and down, left to right and the other way around; when he's finished, Gado the men shows up on the ground.

Ryoho was getting mad. Falcon's last hit had really hurt, and the frustration of not being able to hit them was getting to him. Though he really only needed one strike and he got it; this time he saw Falcon coming, like a bullet out the corner of his eye. He transforms back to human and the difference in size is so big Falcon misses and dives straight unto the ground, Jenny immediately attacks forgetting they all know how to fight in human form. He flips forward evading a wing slash and grabs his head as they fall, very near the ground. In the two seconds she needs to break his hold, he's fully transformed and crushing her head between his massive dragon body and the concrete; unfortunately for him, Jenny didn't try to break free and had instead let him impale himself on her wings.

He flaps his wings to rise before his health is up but Falcon was already jumping atop him sinking his claws on him and sticking his beak on his neck; Ryoho transforms back as Jenny does. Falcon takes him off her and then also transforms back, looking through the whole and seeing everyone down but Shenlong and Cronos; he could take a break.

Yugo jumps from the roof at Cronos who just pulls back his arm, aims and punches the hell out of him, sending him back to crash with the dojo's door. Not three seconds later he was coming out again, but this time he stops his dash as he reaches punching distance to duck from a flame-blade that Cronos sent off, he hit him with an uppercut and took advantage of the momentum to round-house kick his face; Cronos though leans back and lunges forward with the palms of his hands, grabbing hold of Yugo's back by sticking his fingers nails in, which you must remind are on fire.

"RAWWWAAARGHH!" Yugo bellows as he's elevated in Crono's preparation for the finishing move. But suddenly, something kicks Crono's head forcing him to fall to his in reaction, his fingers ripping through Yugo's flesh. The kick hit that soft stop in the head which is French for his where it hurts; Yugo rolls on, transforming back, as Cronos gets up and looks at the attacker, Uriko.

"You meddling whelp!" He walks towards her. "You presume to fight me!"

"Leave her alone!" Bakuryu shouts as he runs towards him.

"What's this now? You attack me in your human fo…" He isn't able to finish the sentence as Bakuryu leaps in a dive, transforming during and rotating to have a drill effect; but Cronos levitates above it. "Almost got me, but…" another kick send him unbalancing unto the ground. He massages his head:

"Damn you girl! I will have your heart!"

Bakuryu shows up in front of him and tries to stick his fingers in his eyes, but Cronos lowers his torso, as the blades pass by his neck, and hits Bakuryu in the forehead with his beak. He transforms back, unable to move as Cronos makes his way towards Uriko.

She tries another kick which is bad thinking because Cronos grabs her foot and waves his arm bringing her up and then down on the ground again. A crater shows up as he clears the smoke by pulling a humanized Uriko; he lifts her upside down and she punches him in the stomach.

"Gah." He lets her go in consequence. He blinks in immediate pain and quickly looks at her absolutely enraged. He's able to grab her yet again, by both her fists and lift her in the air again. "My will be done…" he slowly says as she kicks him in the torso to no avail, he uses his extra hand effectively; pulls it back and pierces through Uriko's chest.

"NOOO!" Yugo screams, also unable to move.

Cronos had pushed her heart out through her back. Her eyes die first, and then her head bows down in mortal defeat. "I will not show mercy to any rebels!" Cronos proclaims as he removes his hand and lets that corpse fall down. "Fight me and I will kill you all."

Far far in the sky, on a spaceship, a silvered haired man in red jacket listens attentively as his field operative, on a recon mission on earth reports back:

"What I'm saying is that I'm looking through my scope and it's getting really bloody out there. Cronos just killed one of them and it's idiotic to wait anymore since it's just him left standing. We need to go now, right now! We can't let him recover in the slightest!"

He waits for a few seconds and then:

"Who died?"

"Uriko."

"Well, she was a walking time-bomb anyways. I will be leading your reinforcements. We will engage as soon as we link up."

"Understood."

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_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Hell yeah, that was a big one wasn't it? Here's two punch-lines for the next chapter: Bakuryu goes crazy and the rest of the Bloody Roar cast steps in; I decided to put in a little introduction for them. Oh and you find out what the hell happened to Long and Shenlong, I didn't forget about them, you shouldn't either ;). Really hope you liked it and enjoyed the read. I'm sorry for any mistake, ortographic or grammatic or otherwise, but English is not my language. Still, judge it as if it was._

_Thanks again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	8. Chapter 8: It never ends

_Hello again and welcome to the a new installment of this bloody roar fanfic. Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is mine. Also, any character not in the game is also mine.  
_

_I do hope you enjoy, in case you read this, and have a good time.  
_

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Part 8 – It never ends…

"NO!!!!"

To say Yugo was pissed would be the greatest understatement in history. If he could walk…but he couldn't. He'd taken too much damage; he had enough experience to know he was forced to wait a few hours or risk falling into a coma like some of the others.

"Fight me and I will kill you all." Cronos warned.

If you can't make sure by the eyes, you know someone's dead once you see the body react to collision. It's lacking that innate instinct to recognize pain, that reaction one can't help but have, even when unconscious. He knows for sure what his heart wouldn't acknowledge once he sees her hit the ground.

"Uriko…"

Cronos the Phoenix makes his way towards Yugo, calmly, slowly, confidently.

"Do you heed, wolf?" He asks, upon approach.

"Aye." Yugo said, in a human grin. "All the way up your ass…you monster." He weeps tears of rage.

"Heh, defiant to the end. One can never understand you mortals, least of all you mammals." He picks Yugo up by the collar and brings his right arm back.

"RAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

A scream, Cronos looks to the side and sees Bakuryu on his feet.

"Ah!" He throws Yugo away like a piece of rotten meat. "You still stand Kenji?!" He notes, amused. Bakuryu doesn't reply anything, simply stares and glares him in rage and fury.

"Well come on then." Cronos calls him out, smirking. "I cannot let Uriko be without company for so long." He mocks.

Bakuryu doesn't recognize the name Kenji, nor does he truly comprehend the rest of his dialogue, just knows he hates it: he wants it gone, dead, slashed, pierced, eviscerated out of existence…and that's what he wants for Crono's words, one shouldn't even try to surmise what he wants for Crono himself.

"GAH…"

He feels slight pain.

"RAHHhhhhhhhhhHHHHH…"

He frowns, body twitching, contracting, he wants to transform; he needs, he wants the power to eradicate a fellow beast. He believes in justice, he knows he's the only one left and thus:

"RAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" He howls and screams as his body pushes his metabolism towards his nature, towards his feelings: a purple aura bolts around him in what appears to be lightning, then they get darker as his body transforms into that of a mole.

The dust around him getting sucked in, he opens his fury driven eyes and stares at his goal.

"You remembered how to force a transformation." Cronos notes, entertained. "Good for yo…"

He is interrupted by a whistling sound of Bakuryu slashing through the wind too fast for him to evade, even defend. He smashes against Cronos at the belly, drilling his way through it as he pierces his feet; Cronos counters but he's gone. He's behind him to deliver one massive kick which lunges Cronos towards a wall. Cronos flaps his wings and ascends avoiding the wall, looks below to find Bakuryu who already was head-butting him.

What followed was a series of 72 hits, punches and kicks, right there and then, all successful and ending on him disappearing to show up behind Cronos, grab him by hugging him and sinking his blades on his belly again and spinning the disoriented self-proclaimed god into a spiral against the ground.

Bakuryu let him go and back flipped, putting out his burning clothes and slapping his hands together to shake of the heat and flames. Cronos had transformed back and was on one hell of a crater in the ground sighing tired, he was analysing himself to see if he was still in time to force transform into the Phoenix again and put that burrowing menace to rest but alas that was not the case.

"What's the matter? Is God tired?" Bakuryu asks, leaning on his knee to take a breather.

"Why use a bazooka to stamp out a fly?" Cronos inquires, still confidently getting up.

"When you can smash her with your own hands. You did well Kenji, but rage will only get you so far."

Yugo, on the other hand, along with Gado who in the meantime had awakened, thinks about how Bakuryu did that, how could he? He was more beaten up than himself, the wolf.

_Cronos mentioned a forced transformation… does that mean we can transform as long as we have enough health to? But why isn't he transforming now? Neither is Bakuryu who transformed back…maybe there are limits to that kind of transformation. It's temporary, it tires the body more, something like that. Doesn't matter, it's powerful; I need to do it, now. _Yugo tells himself, in his head.

"Really? Is that why you aren't even hovering anymore?" Bakuryu asks.

Indeed, Cronos was standing on his own two feet; his clothes messed up, his hair hanging over his forehead and eyes. Cronos doesn't answer, simply looks at him offended and starts running. Bakuryu lazily and effortful also starts a dash bringing his arm back for a strike just as Cronos also lifts his for a punch.

"Ahhhhhh.."

"Ahhhhhhh"

They both build momentum with their voices, increasing in intensity as they get closer and, when they're about to collapse an ironic intervention steps in. Cronos trips on Uriko's body. It's sudden, he still tries to hit his punch but Bakuryu hops diving and leaning avoiding the punch and hitting the left part of his left and facing down palm in Crono's left arm-pit. He falls on the ground, rolls and doesn't even turn around.

"Gah! Even in death this brat bothers me." Cronos complains, turning around. "And you? What? Was that supposed to do some…"

He is interrupted by a sudden pain in the chest. Only someone who has been reborn knows what it's like for his organs to stop functioning. His heart had stopped. He falls on his knees, gasping and coughing. "Damn…nation…" He falls; unconscious or dead depended on himself. Bakuryu falls on his ass, tired but calm and rational again.

Rage giving way to sadness, Bakuryu neared Uriko. He holds her head in his weakened lap.

"I didn't know you that long but…"

He sighs, there was something there. Something now shattered, broken, leaking out of him in tears and sweat. He hugs her head, feeling her hair on his face and weeps in silence.

_Get up, get up. A kid is doing better than you, get up! Man if Gado gets up before me…_

Just then, a hard, stern voice called out:

"Kenji the mole!"

Again with the Kenji, but the female voice had mentioned mole so he gently wiped his eyes a little and looked up at the roof of his dojo. There was a young woman there, sided by a tall but slender man dressed in royal red of white long hair. The woman was brown haired, brown eyed and light brown hot all over but had a very serious face.

"Wow, he actually beat Cronos." Nagi comments to the side.

"It appears that way." Xion states. "You called him out, Nagi, it is rude to talk and interrupt the moment."

"My apologies. Kenji the Mole."

"My name's Bakuryu." He shouts back, interrupting her.

"I don't care." She looks around. "We're envoys from our world, your world; we're here to retrieve you."

He smiles sarcastically and shakes his head in ironic silence.

"Yeah…that's what he said." Yugo tells them; he had sat down. "Right before he lunged her heart out of her chest." He adds.

"You were all part of a space convoy heading towards a tournament." Xion says. "We were on the other one. Cronos was to participate in that tournament also, it was my job to beat him and kill him for he led a terrorist uprising against our empire. That's who blew up your ship, sending you crashing unto this planet." He finishes explaining.

"We're supposed to believe you?" The one speaking out now was Gado, he was standing up. "I represent the government. They have been wishing to meet with you, please accept an audien…"

"Don't you get it?" Nagi asks, impatient and finding it odd to hear such words of Gado's mouth. "We're here to get you all back, to get you home."

"Humpf…" Yugo reacts. "It never stops, it just never stops." He complains to the air.

"Just leave us alone!" Bakuryu shouts, desperate. "Why can't any of you people just LEAVE US ALONE!"

His glow returned. He was desperate, tired, fed up. Why couldn't they just be left in their dojo quietly, not doing anyone harm? His aura glowed momentarily.

"Sir…" Nagi points out.

"Calm down Nagi." Xion whispered. "We are able to make you remember, Kenji. We really can give you back your memories." He assures.

"I don't anything from you!" Bakuryu shouts back. "I don't care about my memories! I don't care about my past life! I cared about her!" He screams, in tears lifting Uriko's corpse a little. "I care about Alice, about Jenny and Yugo, About Falcon, Urinamia and even about Busuzima!"

"What? Busuzima?" Nagi asks herself. "why?"

"I care about my friends, my family, and life. Just leave us alone damn you!"

He feels it; he knows how to do it. He instinctively knows how to force another transformation. 5 Minutes more…

"I don't see the chameleon." Xion says.

"You know how he is. Probably ran away already. I'm more worried about the tigers and that falcon guy." Nagi says.

"What do you think we should do Nagi? They won't come back willingly." Xion requests a second opinion.

"They lost their memories and there's only three of them…" Nagi comments.

"Not just any three…" he comments back, glaring at Yugo, Gado and Bakuryu.

"We've got enough. Let me engage them, let's end this now, today, before any of the others wake up." Nagi says. "While it's still easy."

"Easy huh? Fine, I'll take full responsibility for what happens. Bring him down, easy or hard."

She smirks anxiously.

"Yes sir!" She transforms into her beast form, the Spurious.

Her large red blade and her redden figure actually serve to intimidate Yugo who looks deep in himself for how to transform. That's when he remembers how Bakuryu did it, he got mad, mad enough to have no doubt he could do it.

"I apologise for whatever harm will come to you Kenji the Mole, Yugo the Wolf and Gado the Lion, but we must take you back." Nagi speeches, formally.

Bakuryu lays Uriko on the ground gently and stands up looking at the ground.

"You will understand once we get your memories back to you. All units pick your targets and engage!" She points.

Some strangers jump from behind her just as she smirks; she had full control of the situation and she enjoyed just that.

Bakuryu lifts his head saying. "You will not lay a hand on even one of her hairs!" and he transforms into his mole figure. He was surprised to see a strange looking man, who had jumped towards him transform also into a mole.

"Time for the copy to replace the original!" The robotic voice howls as it disappears.

It appears behind Bakuryu with a front flip to kick him with his heel but Bakuryu stops it with his arm and throws a punch; Kohryu hits it with his left arm and spins around to deliver a round house kick but Bakuryu dodges while slashing his other leg.

"Gado!" Yugo had shouted, before Kohryu had even transformed, "Force it! WE CAN DO IT!" He screamed, then growling in a transformation.

His eyes became red as his skin gave way to fur, teeth to fangs, fingers to claws. Back to present, he receives Greg the Gorilla head on slashing away at his chest despite momentum or harm to himself.

Gado doesn't transform, he takes on a humanized Boar, Mitsuko the boar, grabbing her by her tusks as she lunged unto him; he kneed her twice in the abdomen and threw her to the side while growling in a forced transformation.

"All three of them." Xion states, impressed.

"Good, this might actually be a challenge now." Nagi says as she jumps down.

"Always the eager one…" Xion comments with a smile, he spins around transforming into his unborn self and also jumps down.

Just then a half naked of grey hair, orange pants and tattoos all over his torso came out from behind the wall. He noticed the fighting; he saw Bakuryu landing hits on Kohryu and hence headed his way. Reiji hopped and transformed into his black beast, the Crow.

He lunges to catch Bakuryu unprepared but is himself intercepted unprepared. The Falcon was back to deliver some serious pain. He had been flying up this whole time and now had descending like only a falcon could, smashing Reiji unto the ground with such force he immediately blacked out. He turned around and saw a couple more fighters show up, he lifts off again before anyone notices him.

Nagi has caught Gado with his back turned to her, she lands on it with her feet aggressively pushing him but not delivering any pain.

"C'mon tough guy, I'm right here." She taunts.

He growls and lunges towards her, she tries to cut him in half but he hits her sword with his left claw and continues on his way but she, on the other hand, back flips hitting his chin with her shoes.

His momentum stops and as she lands, he runs towards her. They begin real combat as Gado the Lion tries to land a grab or one of his strong hits on her, but alas she dances around, playing him for a fool whilst cutting him, defeating the big bad lion bit by bit…

Xion, on the other hand, lands in front of Yugo just as Greg falls on his back, a little disoriented. They fight. The wolf turns out to be as much of a challenge as Xion remembered, his ability to sidestep and dodge hits while delivering boxing jabs at the same time was remarkable but the unborn had blades and was bigger and was healthier.

The state they were in and the fact they had forced a transformation meant they had very little time of fighting into them, and furthermore, one massive strike would knock them out. The problem was they were experienced fighters on a power overdose so it wasn't that easy. Greg the Gorilla gets back into the fight, taking on a slash Yugo avoids whilst punching Xion in the ribs, hard.

Gado spins tripping Nagi but Nagi hops flipping upside down to pierce Gado on the top of his head but he pushes the ground with his left hand, blade grazing his nose, he grabs her arm with his left hand and manages to not lose his balance, he gets up and waves her around violently batting Mitsuko The Boar with her.

"Everyone gather together!" Yugo shouts, suddenly, jumping away from Xion who takes on a tackle from Greg who had been aiming at Yugo.

Yugo lands on the ground and immediately jumps to the rooftop. One second and Gado lands behind him back turned to him.

"We can't fight forever." Gado says.

Just then a small whirlwind generates releasing leafs and the mole shows up in between of them but a little to the front so to have his back to both their shoulders.

"There's only three of us." He states. "There's six of them, that guy's bound to wake up."

They all look at the courtyard and see Nagi and Xion calmly turn towards them. Greg and Mitsuko doing some warm up and relaxing their muscles, Kohryu taking his time, walking towards them.

"I said all units engage." Nagi says, out loud.

"But he's hurt." A little girl replies. They look to the side and notice a little girl in a kimono of dark blue hair standing over Ryoho the Dragon. "he'll wake up in a minute though." She adds.

"Alright people, let's finish this."

As Nagi says so, a large crash sounds out. A beast crashed through the rooftop, flipped sideways and landed in formation with the last three fighters. It was Shenlong, in his tiger form, normal transformation.

"More fighting!" He shouts, angry as ever but exhilarated. "I have two kills in my book, which one 'o you fool wants to be next??"

"Shenlong? You're still fighting huh?" Gado asks, with respect.

"I only do what I know what to do Lion. And what I do ain't nice." He grins. "You babies stand back, I'll…"

"Everyone get out of your ships, we have to subdue them before any of the really powerful ones wake up!" Nagi orders.

The four beasts, confused, look around as in a triangle formation spaceships show themselves. They "de-cloak", going from invisible to mall sized beat looking ships aerodynamically made for planet incursions. Strange blast doors open up, each of them containing over 10 warriors. All of them transform.

"Oh my god…" Yugo comments.

"This is too good to be true!" Shenlong finishes Yugo's line.

"Are you crazy? We can't fight them all, not like this." Gado speaks out his military experience. "This is one of those times where we need to fall back."

"Yes, a strategic runaway!" Yugo says, being unknown to the actual term. "but…"

"You pussies go then!" Shenlong talks, emotional, enthusiastic. "This is my time! I WILL BRING EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU MOTHERFUCKING BEASTS DOWN TO MY KNEES!!!" And at that, Shenlong roars and bellows the aftermath of bloody combat, a black purplish aura surrounding him already. He jumps lunging himself into the heart of the warrior crowd.

"I AM THE STRONGEST MAN ALIVE!!" he says just as another loud crash resonates throughout the grounds. Nagi and the rest of her crew look as Kohryu transform back amidst a smouldering crater and Falcon smiling. He looks at Nagi.

"Damn, you're one hot chick." He smirks.

She looks at him with an incredible urge to kill, leaps towards him but he has already lifted flight. A frog beast tries to catch him but he evades him, and says:

"Yugo! Every beast for himself, make it out of this damn you!" And with that, he turns away and flaps his wing diving away in flight. He is chased by a pterodactyl based beast and a pigeon one.

After that it was all out chaos. Every kind of beast lands on the ground and looks to attack them. But Shenlong takes on everyone in the courtyard, delivering blow after blow as he goes into his own hitting spree, just like Bakuryu had done, but he was now changing targets in the middle of it.

Beasts come out flying, Bakuryu turns around to look for Yugo but all he sees is a Python wiggling its way to grab him and grab it she does, it because Bakuryu disappears giving way to a log. He tries to look again but no sight of him and with that, he runs for his life.

Gado had received a tackle from a bear and rolled backwards throwing him off the roof, standing and jumping back, landing on same bear and hopping out of him to let the hyena land, she leaps towards him but he sidesteps and brings his arm down sinking her in the ground. 5 more are already jumping at him.

"Dammit!" He says as he punches a small caterpillar aside, sidestepping to clothesline a fellow feline cat; a polar bear tackles him to the ground, he again backflips and throws him off standing in time to receive an ox, too heavy for him this time. The ox sits on him and punches him, Gado drags the punch aside which hits the floor and punches the big ox on the chin once before kneeing in the groin and pushing him out.

"Too many." He tells himself.

He's already surrounded on all ways but one; he glances at it so they wouldn't know. About 10 creatures surrounding him, all ready and eager to prove themselves. He then sees Shina running in his direction.

"Gado!!" They close off his escape root, he frowns annoyed. She growls out while jumping and forcing her transformation, hits the caterpillar throwing all the way across the radius, Gado had to step to his left not to get hit.

She front rolls, turns around and leans her back to Gado.

"I'm here to help you." She says, in a desperate and tired tone.

Gado sees all ways covered, he couldn't go under or above. This was it, they were goners but apparently she doesn't realize it. And so he replies, confidently as ever:

"Yes. An unfair match up…for them."

"Hehe…" The crowd assaults them.

In the mean time, Yugo was getting pounded against a wall by Xion on a forced transformation over a normal one. He was caught off guard, tried to get Uriko's body before running away but ended up with Xion's blade across his belly. He got thrown against one of the walls and had already transformed back but Xion didn't let up.

"Xion! Yugo's down already." Nagi shouts, as the overseer of the fight.

"Trust me, he's never down." Xion replies, pounding again.

"Well sir, Shenlong's more of a problem right now!" She tells him.

She sees Shenlong shredding through Greg, having left already 5 beasts out and bleeding, one dismembered and one dead. He had also forced a transformation over his normal one in his thirst for power and to be the strongest.

Xion looks around, notices Shina has gotten up since she was no longer lying down on the same spot. They were taking too much time!

"Shenlong! Heed or die!" He tells him. Shenlong turns towards him, bloodied mouth and claws and almost every bit of his fur.

"HA!" He reacts. "YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!" he runs towards him and Xion walks towards **him.**

"Death it is then. After all, you are nothing but a violent clone. Wasted soul." He comments nearing him.

Shenlong prepares his strength and jumps at him with all his strength and brutality which don't have a chance in hell against Xion's controlled and planned counter attack. He ducks and thrusts his shoulder against Shenlong's legs flipping him over.

Shenlong is on his first flip, half way, back turned to Xion when he has his head removed. Xion thrust his shoulder and, in the momentum, span around slicing the tiger's head when it had its neck pulling on his head to flip.

The body and head follow their kinetic movement and fall on the floor, limp.

"You killed him." Nagi states.

"Any problem with that?" Xion asks, looking at her in his beast form, even Nagi is intimidated.

"No sir." She averts his gaze and looks at her surroundings. "This is a mess."

"Yo, word is Gado the Lion and Shina the leopard have been defeated." Greg told them.

"WHOAH!" A scream suddenly arises. Reiji the Crow gets up. "What the hell happened? What hit me?"

"Falcon." Mitsuko says.

"That motherfucking sucker punching son of a bitch! Where is he?"

"Escaped." Nagi notes, she glances around and sighs. "This is a mess. I want every last one of these bodies restrained and contained before anybody else wakes up. Start with that traitor."

Her men obey; untransformed men and women come out from the ships, which have landed, with devices: bracelets and big handcuffs which are devised to constrict the Zoanthrope metabolism. It basically keeps them from transforming or even have any strength to do anything other than being able to stand.

After half an hour, the fliers that chased after Falcon came back, along with 3 or 4 scouting parties that had been sent to look for everyone that was missing. They had run into and apprehended Fox, but she was the only one to be caught. Xion was now in his normal shape and did nothing for the course of that half an hour than stand and look at his prisoners, waiting for someone to wake up.

"We found Fox sir, but the rest of them remain M.I.A." Nagi tells her commanding officer.

"It matters not." He simply replies.

"What do you mean sir? We are required to take everyone of them back." She argues.

"We have Cronus, Uranos, Ryoho, Yugo and Gado and most of all the others." Xion tries to speak but is interrupted by Nagi who says.

"But we don't have Bakuryu, Busuzima, Falcon…"

"Secondary characters girl." He interrupts her in turn. "We have all the heavy hitters, how much trouble could these…secondary targets, extra priorities be, alone and running scared in a not so familiar world?" He turns his head to her, looking into her eyes.

"Relax Nagi, transform back. We need to move out and cloak ourselves again before these human fools find enough courage to attack us, assuming they know we're even here of course." He finishes.

Nagi waits a few seconds, thinking. Then she looks to the side and orders whilst returning to her normal self:

"Everyone get the prisoners inside the Dreadnaught and then return to your respective posts on your respective ships. I want us all inside and ready for lift off in under 10 minutes."

She walks away and Xion again turns his gaze away towards Cronos. He wanted to talk to him but he just wouldn't wake up. Was he dead? He had not wanted to confirm, he would though, as soon as they were cloaked.

In 8 minutes, Nagi was boarding her ship, the Dreadnaught, looking back at the battlefield. She imagines that alone and running scared would actually be quite a good description and prediction of her target's situations. But what could they do? They could remedy the alone situation but that didn't bother her. What bothered her was remedying the scared…Shenlong wasn't scared, he paid for it with his life but he also killed some of her men. She pushes the button to close the blast doors and turns her back on the planet as her ship becomes invisible. It bothered her to see Xion lashing out at Yugo so much. Enemies made allies and allies made enemies…as far as she was concerned, enemies should be made dead and allies should be made friends. Any other order of events put her in a deep discomfort… and what she did then was focus on what she needed to do.

"Find them, get them back." were her orders but as she returns to her post, having experienced this battle, she makes a necessary commitment. She knows she needs to beat them before Xion has a chance to step in for if she fails to do so… they will all die.

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review. _

_Alright, this time no cliffhanger though it is obvious there is still continuation. In case you are wondering, this story will have an ending. I just didn't want it to happen at this point. It is coming soon, the grand ending as best as I can provide. But for now, I hope you enjoyed this 8 chapter and continue following the story.  
_

_Thanks a bunch, again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	9. Chapter 9: Alone and running scared

_WOOOOW, three freakin' years. Or more? Man, does time fly. University killed me, but I have to be honest I just delved into other experiences as a writer. Someone favored this story yesterday, which reminded me I never finished it. Which is lame, and awful. XD, I always finish my stuff. I want to be able to say, one day, that I always finished what I started!_

_So! it's been a long time, so here's a summary of what's happened up until now:_

**_SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS:_**

_Our monsters were heading for yet another tournament when their transporter ship was attacked by an unknown terrorist faction. The ship exploded, but sent the pods, in which the warriors slumbered, crashing on the Earth. Due to the crash, everyone lost their memories, and throughout 3 years, had to learn the international language on their own, and choose their alliances. _

_Shenlong, Long and Fox were with the Yakuza. Gado, Shina, Ganeesha and Acinon(original) were with the USA. Everyone else was gathered together by Bakuryu and Yugo, as a group. Busuzima was with the USA, then with the Yakuza, and finally ended up with Yugo's band. _

_Meanwhile, Ryoho and Uranos retrieved the ashes of Cronos from his crash site. And waited for him to resurrect, which he did. As a "god", he decided to gather everyone under his banner, and conquer Earth._

_Eventually there was a stare down between all four parties. Long and Ganeesha joined Cronos, the rest retained their sides. In his effort to convince them, Cronos said Busuzima was a mad scientist, Long and Shenlong weren't brothers and that Yugo and Keiji were brothers. _

_They fought a long bloody battle, and almost everyone was knocked out. Then Cronos killed Uriko in one single terrifying moment, which drove Bakuryu to discover the forced transformation, and to unleash what, in the game, is the super special mega attack XD. _

_As he put Cronos down, though, Xion appeared with Nagi and a full force of Zoanthropes that sought to capture and retrieve everyone, return to them their memories, and get this crazy accident over with. But our battered down heroes refused to give in and so, Gado, Bakuryu, Yugo and Shenlong made a last stand. The stand was completely obliterated, though. Xion took care of a broken down Yugo, and then cut the head off a blood-crazed Shenlong. _

_Gado was taken down in the fight, Fox tried to run but was captured, Bakuryu and Falcon escaped, Busuzima never showed himself during the whole fight. _

_At the end, Xion seemed careless in whether to retrieve them dead or alive. And Nagi a lot less careless. Normally, she'd be the violent loose cannon, but the orders were to bring them alive, and she decided that she couldn't be looking for a fight, lest Xion finish all fights like he had done with Yugo and Shenlong. _

_And that's that. For the full experience, read it again *shrugs*_

_As always, Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is mine. Also, any character not in the game is also mine._

_And that's that! I hope you enjoy the new chapter! I think you'll noticed I've evolved, somewhat, in my writing xD. (though it's confusing for me now, to write in present tense. I didn't want to be inconsistent, though, so I tried to retain it. Hope I succeeded.)_

--////----

Part 9: Alone and running scared.

Xion is at his chair. It always looked, to Nagi, that he sat in it like it was a throne. She did not know why she had been summoned, but orders are orders, and due to what happened before, hints of disloyalty would probably be met with extreme prejudice…

"Nagi, thank you for coming."

"Ha ha, you're welcome." She says, sarcastically. "What is your wish, sir?"

"Always so formal…Nagi. Oh well, no matter." He admits. "I'd like to know, Nagi, where is your loyalty?"

Nagi flinches, more from confusion than from fear. She wasn't actually disloyal, or planning to be disloyal, she just disapproved of Xion's killing spree, and only in the far reaches of her mind. "It lies with my superior, sir." She answers, not hiding her confusion.

"Superior, huh?"

"Yes. You're acting superior on this mission, so my loyalty lies with you. Back home, it's different."

"It lies with the one that's most superior…right?" He asks, laid back, looking at her with the same look a murderer would give out, when he's looking to validate murder on his conscience.

"…post, yes. The one that has the most superior post." She decides to say, so to make the nomenclature clear. "Why?"

"Oh no reason. Have the others woken up, yet?"

"No. But if everything goes well, they'll wake up with their memories. We'll then be able to send them in to go catch the others." She reports.

"Right, keep up the good work. Again, let me know the second Cronos wakes up."

"…yes, sir." She agreed, wondering why he was so intent on talking to Cronos. What was there to find out from him, anyways?

She left his dreaded throne room, and headed down. If she was to send people to get their friends, she had to find them first…

**

"Well, do I feel stupid." Long comments, whilst holding on to a very serious wound, that was still trying to heal. "And weak…I can't believe I lost that idiot."

The smell of garbage and rot was making him dizzy. He had been able to dump himself into a dumpster, which was then unloaded onto a garbage truck. Amidst all the filth, there was no way the others would find his scent.

Out of all the people choosing their loyalties, he had been pretty stupid. He wasn't a fool, he could tell Cronos was lying. But he didn't like to be a mobster, and he didn't like Shenlong one bit. Still, he felt stupid, and weak.

"Then again, who could win against that monster. O-Bakemono…taiga." He tells himself, covering his face with his hand. "What am I supposed to do now? I could seek the protection of the mob…but I don't want to return. It's best they think we all disappeared. I wonder if Fox got away…"

He closes his nose, and tries yet again to clean up his glasses, which were fogged up in the solidified state of bad smell.

"I'm screwed."

*

Acinon opens her eyes to an unfamiliar world. It's dark, dampen, and kind of smells. She remembers what had happened. After being knocked out by Long, she had awaken only to see people falling off ships. She tried to find Gado but she couldn't see him, and ended up pinned. She passed out after she felt a really sharp sensation on her back.

She wonders if she had been taken to some kind of lab. She lifts her head, and finds out she isn't restrained. She gets up, noticing she's in some sort of cave. There are candles spread out, though the cave itself isn't very roomy, or cosy for that matter.

She then hears someone creeping inside from the entrance, and stands up in attention. What appears is a woman. She's short, her hair is hanging in front of her face, and her body figure seems miss-shaped.

"Ah." She comments, startled to see Acinon awaken.

"Hum. You're…the flea, right?"

"Yes…" Urinamia nods, embarrassed.

"What happened?"

"You were near me when I woke up…I…the fox had fled. I picked you up, jumped away. I…took us here. Hidden, from eyes and nose, safe."

"Humpf. 're you planning to hide out?" Acinon asks, getting up.

"What…what else is there?"

Acinon halts her movements, looking at her, or rather, her question. Indeed, what else was there to do? From the moment she opened her eyes, she has had someone telling her what to do, and how to do. She was never without a leader, and Urinamia was no leader. She was the leader, but she did not know how to lead.

"Good question…" She admits, looking around. They couldn't stay there. Might be a good hiding spot, but she wouldn't just abandon Gado and Shina. Remembering them, she remembers Ganesha…that traitor.

"Hum…" Urinamia calls out, noticing Acinon's tense fists. "don't…don't worry. They'll come back…they, they come for us."

"No." Acinon says, looking at Urinamia. What a pitiful creature, that flea. She'd just stay there and rot for her whole life, in depression, if it was up to her. Acinon decides what to do, and relays it to her newfound ally, which would be a very convenient transportation. "I can't lead. I've always ever had someone telling me what should be done. I've no way to know what should be done. So what we're gonna do, is find someone who does. Who escaped, do you know?"

"Hum…it was so confusing. Lots of…"

"Ugh, fine. Whatever."

"Wait." Urinamia interrupts. "Falcon. I saw Falcon run away."

"Nobody followed him?"

"Yes, dozens." Acinon looks at Urinamia, ironically. "It doesn't matter. Nobody caught him, I'm sure."

"How're you sure?" Acinon asks.

"Well I…" She embarrassedly looks to the side, fidgeting her fingers. "I fought him once, he's…really fast."

"So might be the others."

"He's…" Urinamia looks down, hiding her cheeks. "too cool to be caught."

Acinon steps back at the comment. Unwillingly, she smiles, while Urinamia grabs her shirt, so not to fidget her fingers.

"Well, he's the best bet we have, anyways. Where do we find him?"

"I...dunno." Urinamia mentions.

"Ugh, why did you mention it again. Damn it." Acinon reacts, losing her smile. The situation wasn't favourable at all. She didn't know where she was, but she was willing to bet Falcon had to fly a whole lot father to get away from all the fliers. But she willed her heart onwards.

"Fine, we'll go in one direction, and hope we find him first."

"Wha-what? And if we don't?"

"Let's hope you can out-jump fliers. If you can't, don't worry, I doubt they have anyone faster than me." Acinon tells her, trying to trespass confidence, when she had never felt so surrounded and defeated in her life. Well, last three years and some.

*

"It's so freakin' COOOOOLD!" Falcon screams to the skies, from the top of the mountain. "SHIT! Making me climb all this way…my healing's taking double the time, coping with this ice cold. Ugh. I have to focus, I haven't even been able to focus…shit.

I need to remember who got away, did someone say anything about how to meet? They were in cloaked ships. They could be staring me in the face, for all I know."

"Ugh, Goddammit." He reacts, sneezing. Scratching his head, he looks below at all the height. "Ugh…let's try and transform again. I need to-" And then, he doesn't know how to finish that sentence.

"I need to what? How am I supposed to find anyone. Shit. I know I'm supposed to be a loner, but this is ridiculous. I liked having a place where I could…a nest. Damnit! Damn it all to hell, damn YOU all to hell!" He screams to the invisible ships. "You killed Uriko…you crushed our family. Damn you… and now I don't know what to do. Who to meet, how to meet them. As soon as I go down you'll probably catch me…"

He grabbed his knees, seeking strength from his foetus position. He narrows his eyes, and his heart.

"Bring it on…I'm not letting anyone else get hurt. I'm gonna find them all…" he clenches his hands on his knees. "I'm gonna keep them safe…you stinkin' mother-"

*

"Hehehehe, well this is going well. You always had an incredibly equipped laboratory, sir." Busuzima says, as he tinkers away with some devices. He glanced at a scientist, Gado's "father", who's tied up to a chair.

"What are you planning, Busuzima?" The scientist asks.

" Oh ho. I'm afraid it's a surprise, it is. Did you know I'm an evil scientist?" He asks, without turning back. "Indeed, I am, indeed…hehe. I was told that, and it actually made sense. There was all this stuff I was always thinking about…inventions, creations…so morally wrong, so ethically incomprehensible, they are! Oh, but so beautiful a result, so interesting a method, yes, yes." Busuzima carries on, as the scientist looks on, worried, for Busuzima seemed crazy.

"You know. It's a relief to find out who you are. And you know it's the truth when it explains all your inner attitudes and thoughts, yes? Yes, yes…indeed. He he. " Busuzima pulls up some wires, a short circuit ensues beneath his goggles and sick grin.

"I'm not a gangster, no indeed. I'm not a soldier, ha ha, that's ridiculous, it is. Neither am I normal, just a casual passer by that wants to get laid and laugh, no no…I see now I'm much more. Much much much much much much…" Busuzima says, over and over, the sizzling and electrical fanfare lighting him out against the dark.

"More." He finishes, with a smile. "I do believe it's done. Now I just need to find one of our capsules…" He adds, turning to the scientist, holding to a strange device. "so where too, doc?"

*

Bakuryu had been running all this time. He had no idea where to go, where to hide. Busuzima had fled for sure, so had Falcon, he had to believe. But the rest had died.

And the sadness over Uriko was settling in. It weighed on him more than exhaustion; it fuelled his stamina more than survival.

Her giggles, her smiles, her optimism, and her child-like good nature was burned in his retina, just a layer below her physical heart sticking out her back.

He had started crying two hours ago, and had not been able to stop. He was still being chased when he started crying. But he wasn't confident that they had completely lost him.

He felt so awful, so sad, so terrified. Yugo, Alice, Jenny, Urinamia…they had all stayed behind, they had all been captured. They weight of it all…

He stops. He stops on a rooftop of somewhere in Japan, he didn't bother keep his attention up. He stops and sits down. He wasn't in the mood to run. He was in the mood to hurt.

To hurt, or to be hurt. Either of the two would be acceptable, welcomed, and sure to happen if he just sat and stood still.

So there he stood, waiting, allowing his body to fully recharge, as he waited for whatever foe, or foes, that would come.

*

Two days pass by.

Nagi is looking at a radar which is showing 6 dots completely far apart from each other. She wondered if all of the escapees didn't ask themselves how they were able to find them so quickly?

Truth is, if the pods are triggered for emergency evacuation, they insert chips into the hosts, so they are quick to be localized. This is supposed to help the retrieval, though if things escalated again, it would end up helping the slaughter.

Bakuryu been standing still for a day and a half. Falcon wasn't showing until one day later, and he's been moving around ever since. Busuzima is deep within a military base. He must've asked himself the question, arrived at an answer, and figured he'd hide out there.

It didn't matter. They would come for him last, full guns blazing. She didn't care if he died, in all honesty.

But all the others, she wanted to save. Her willingness for violence and inflicting pain had a limit, a boundary. If she can't control it, she would rather not stretch it. And with Xion in command, she couldn't control it.

And so she waits. She waits for the others to wake up. A few more hours, and they should wake up, with all their memories. She would then lead them down to retrieve all their confused and terrified friends.

She walks back, exiting the room. She goes to check on her captives once again. She's disappointed, doubly, when she sees Cronos has awaken.

"Well hello, pretty lady. Would you mind un-shackling me? Truth be told, you will witness something unlike anything you have ever seen in your life."

"Don't talk to me like you don't know who I am, asshole." Nagi snaps back at him.

"Oh ho…do we have sore feelings for my attempt at restoration?"

"It's called revolution." Nagi says. "And it killed a lot of good people."

"It's called heavenly restoration…and it killed a lot of heathens." He smiles.

She smiles back, with murderous intent.

"Let's see how amused you are once Xion gets a piece of you. Hopefully the same he got from Shenlong!" She comments, leaving.

"Xion? Ha ha ha ha ha." Cronos laughs, as Nagi leaves.

After a few minutes, Xion arrives, accompanied by Nagi.

"You may leave."

"So you can do immoral things to that bastard?" Nagi asks.

Xion takes off his gloves, slowly, answering with a smirk:

"Yes."

"Good, let me join in."

"I'm afraid I shall abuse my power on this one, Nagi. Leave immediately, and whoever comes in will suffer the full wrath of immediate martial punishment." Xion says, glancing at her with very serious eyes.

She nods in agreement, and leaves with a sweaty frown, closing the door to the pen.

Cronos just stays sat, in his bad. Right leg lied down, left bend at the knee, both hands on top of that knee, and a face looking straight at Xion.

"Well?" Cronos asks, superior.

Xion approaches the cage with as serious a face as always. Looking Cronos in the eye, he stops when he's right next to the cage.

Then he bows down, like if Cronos stare weighed him down, until Cronos was looking down on him, from the same position on his cell's bed.

"Glad to see you well, sire."

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review._

_Alright, of course for you who haven't read this for three years might not think so, but the story really needed to take a breather. I re-read it and there was a lot of constant fighting going on, so I was glad it was time to take a step back and breathe, develop some side-plots, some questions, etc :). _

_I really hope you enjoyed this 9th chapter, and continue following the story. I promise, absolutely promise, I will have it finished soon. In terms of time, not chapters :)  
_

_Thanks a bunch, again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_

_ps. I was kinda feeling bad for killing Uriko. I can't have a happy ending without her, really. What was I thinking? xD_


	10. Chapter 10: A brothers’ quarrel

_Another update. Not too happy with their quarrel, but the plot's advancing like I want it too. :P _

_As always, Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is , any character not in the game is also mine._

_And that's that! I hope you enjoy the new chapter! _

--////----

Part 10 – A brothers' quarrel.

"Ha ha. It is really amusing they sent you, to retrieve us."

"They wanted to make sure your capture went well."

"Haha…underestimating fools."

"Is it time for me to drop my cover?"

"I have been pondering that…but no. Soon, though. Our home is much too…troublesome, to take save. We would do well in taking over this weak planet." Cronos says, as he looks at Xion from above.

"Your will is my own, sire. What do you wish of me?"

"Proceed with the gathering. But also, join me with my loyal followers, preferably without their past memories…"

"Understood."

"Keep up the part, and retrieve everyone that's still missing. Once they're all gathered here, they will join us, or die together…"

Cronos abruptly extends his arm away, adding: "in one swift wave of my hand!"

"Your will is my own. It will be done." Xion agrees, finally standing up. He then turns around and walks off, exiting through the door.

"Already?" Nagi asks, disappointed.

"He's too infuriating. I'm afraid I'll kill him, if I even start to hurt him." Xion excuses, continuing his walk. Nagi follows.

"That didn't stop you when it was Shenlong."

"Shenlong was killing our men. If Cronos got out and was killing our men, I would do so, otherwise I must show restraint. After all, that's what our standing orders are, right? Capture and retrieve, as unharmed as possible."

"Hum…" Nagi reacts. It made sense, and it was maddening they couldn't touch Cronos because of it.

Then Xion smiles, and says:

"Move Ryoho and Uranos next to him. Ganesha too."

"What? But they're allies."

"Precisely." Xion agrees, with a smart grin. "Here's hoping they try to escape."

Nagi grins together, understanding Xion's reasoning.

"Because if they do, we might just have to kill Cronos."

"Indeed. And what a terrible happenstance that would turn out to be, correct?"

"Yes, just terrible." She agrees, not.

She heads out and Xion keeps walking, up to his "throne room", where he sits. Manipulating honest people was so easy it was almost boring. He turned his chair to look at the space, finding solace in the fact Cronos could most possible survive there, the only Zoanthrope able too.

He was beyond anything he had ever seen, witnessed, or even heard about. He was simply superior, in all ways. And that is why he was siding with him. He would be the right hand man…for a time.

*

One day later, three days after the bloody event, Busuzima was hard at work:

"Well, a few more hours and I should be done, yeah?" Busuzima asks the scientist, that was strapped to four others, who were unconscious.

"What are you planning, Busuzima?"

"To show who I truly am, of course. To everyone, hehe. In one epic moment of realization." He looked back at the scientist with enthusiastic eyes, a crazy grin forming in his transformed lips. He grips his gizmo tight in his hand as he turns around towards the pod. "No one'll see this comin', yeah? No one at all…hehe."

*

Meanwhile, at the very top of Tokyo tower, Falcon stood. He was transformed, with a serious expression, as rain poured down on top of him. His visions stretched far and wide, when he was transformed. And he could see him.

Falcon had decided to take all fliers head on, create enough of a tussle for someone to notice and show up. There was not much else he could do. He had flown all over the place over the past few days, and found nothing. He wasn't the kind of guy to just fly around and do nothing, so he stopped, to pick a fight.

It didn't take long, thankfully. Soon, he saw a black figure flying up the tower. It flew past him at an impressive speed, and then flew down, stopping to hover in front of him. It was Reiji, the Crow.

"Sup? Guess you don't remember me." Reiji states.

"Of course I do. You're the guy I knocked out some days ago." Falcon replies, amused. "You liked it, was that it?"

"Yeah, I loved it. I always loved backstabbing sucker punches."

"Uuuh…you sound like a sore loser, to me."

"I'm gonna show you who's a sore loser. This time, it'll be my win." Reiji says, opening his arms, sticking out his claws.

"Oh, so we have a history where I kick your ass? Is that what's in the past between us? Lotta ass kickin'?" Falcon asks, smirking.

"I'll show you a true ass kicking!" Reiji shouts.

"Wait!" A female voice shouts out to interrupt. Reiji, bothered and in a bad mood, stops his momentum. Falcon looks down, surprised. "Stop it!" Jenny yells.

"Jenny?! You got away too?"

"No. I was captured. But they gave me my memories back."

"What?"

"I'm a super model, but really, I'm a spy. And I don't age."

"Why're you talking like that's supposed to validate something?! How can I know that's true. How can you?" Falcon asks, unfazed.

"What? No, listen, they just want to help us. We were enlisted in a tournament, but our ship was attacked, we ended up here. They were sent to retrieve us, take us back to our real lives."

"I…what?" Falcon asks, startled.

Reiji sighs, rolls his eyes, and hovers forward while saying:

"Oh well, we tried the easy way, so lemme just-"

"No. Calm down, you idiot! Ugh, men and their need to have pissing contests."

"Which I always win!" Reiji comments, pointing at Falcon. Falcon raises an eyebrow while Jenny face-palms her forehead.

"Falcon, or rather, Fillip. They just want to help, trust me."

Falcon squints his eyes, frowning. This was unexpected.

"Answer me this. What if I want to stay?" He asks, surprising even Reiji.

"Well-" Jenny attempts to talk.

"You can't. We have to take you back, you don't have the authority to-"

"Then you can kiss my ass." Falcon replies. "If you don't give people a choice to do what they want, I don't want anything to do with you."

"But…" Jenny tries, again.

"Specially not your damn memories. I've made memories. I like those memories! I like you as the hot chick who acts all tough, but needs to be rescued all the time. I like to think of you as my loyal princess, rather than some S&M vampire spy." He tells her, right to her face.

"I like my memories as they are. I like my friends, as I remember them."

"Yeah, that what you think about Busuzima?"

"He proved himself, so yes."

"He's the worst sort of villain, Fillip!" Jenny says. "Sooner or later, he would have betray-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Falcon screams for respect, pointing at her, mad. "He risked his life for you! And his smile at our friendship was not a lie! His smile at your thanks was not a lie! How can you say that?!"

"Yes it was! You don't know him, once you remember…"

"Shut up." Falcon says. "Fine, on behalf of Jenny, I'll allow you one more question…"

"What of Uriko?" Falcon asks.

"Cronos will pay his due. Unlike you, he was a prisoner on route to his new prison." Reiji explains. "Which is still awkward as far as I'm concerned."

"He followed in his father's footsteps. Let him rot like him." Jenny comments to the side. Falcon doesn't care about what it means, though.

"I'm not going back." He says. "I don't want anything to do with you people, and your memories. Everything's fucked up on your side of the world."

"Fine by me. Let's do this the hard way!" Reiji exclaims, wishing for violence. "Well, hard for you, easy for me." He attacks.

Falcon hops back, and catches Reiji's claws with his own.

"Well aren't we the cocky bastard?"

"Yes, I should say the same thing…backstabbing coward."

*

"Do…do you know where we're going?" Urinamia asks, afraid to again offend Acinon.

"Anywhere's better than standing still." She replies. Urinamia looks down, to land, and then jumps off again.

A few seconds after she jumped, two broad figures land, hard, on the ground.

"Ugh…how are we supposed to catch those two on foot?!" Shina asks, mad and tired.

"Well, they have to stop eventually." Gado replies.

"This is Acinon we're talking about."

"Yes, and eventually, she has to stop." Gado again states, before continuing to run. "All we need is a minute, get close enough to yell."

*

And Bakuryu, as you can imagine, is greeted by Yugo and Alice. He was still sitting. The ground around him, though, was pounded and crushed.

"Kenji…bro. It's us, Yugo and -"

"Yeah, sure. Figures." Bakuryu replies, angry. "I suppose you're here to kidnap me." He says, not looking at them.

"Well, yeah. We got our memories back, bro. They're the real deal; they just want to help us." Yugo explains, trying to tell what Bakuryu was thinking.

"…and if I don't want too?"

"Don't be silly, why wouldn't you want too? Don't you want your memories ba-"

"I WANT URIKO BACK!" Bakuryu yells, at the sky. "HOW 'BOUT THAT? CAN YOU DO THAT?!"

"Kenji…"

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Bakuryu reacts, aggressively, turning around with some kind of ass-hop, standing up. "That is not my name."

"Bro, Bakuryu is the name of a brain washed assassin. Kenji's the name of my little brother."

"I don't care!" Bakuryu responds. "I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care!"

"Bro, don't be so childish."

"HEY, SCREW YOU!" He replies. "I fought the most back there. I fuckin' beat Cronos! All for the sake of all of us, of being left alone!"

"We can be left alone back ho-"

"AND…" Bakuryu again interrupts. "And what if I don't want to go back?"

"Than you're being a stupid little bro, and I'll have to beat some sense into you." Yugo says, shrugging. "You can choose whatever you want, after you get your memories back."

"How do I know I won't be brain washed?"

"What?"

"You just said I was brainwashed once. How do I know I won't be again? How do I know you aren't brainwashed?"

"That's ridiculous." Yugo simply states. "Once you remember, you'll understand."

"Fine, beat me then." Bakuryu says, taking up a fight position.

"Bro…don't be stupid. You could never beat me, this is-"

"GO AHEAD!" Bakuryu says, in tears. "Beat your little brother into submission; force your hand on him, like they forced theirs on you. Prove to me I've never beaten you, prove to me your past is true!"

Yugo grins, shaking his head. "Alice, step back please, and don't intervene, no matter what."

"What?" Alice asks. "You can't be serious about this."

"Ohhh…as serious as he is."

"Yugo…"

"This is no different from last time. He's as confused as then, he's as teary eyed as then. He's Bakuryu alright. He's less cold, but this is me against Bakuryu all over again. So I'll win again." He says, walking forward.

Bakuryu snorts some courage down to his stomach. The only time they fought, he lost. He didn't want to lose now, he didn't want to believe that those three years would have been a waste, that all the friends he made might be enemies. He was going to win this…or at least, subside the pain inside, with pain outside.

Yugo cracked his knuckles, and assumed a boxing position, as always.

"We're gonna start it like this, okay? But feel free to transform when I've gained too much of an advantage."

"…are you trying to piss me off?"

"Just making sure you understand…this is stupid."

"YES WELL!" Bakuryu yells back, walking forward, clenched fists and reddened eyes. "I apologize for being stupid, YUGO!"

At that, he suddenly disappears, showing up behind Yugo, delivering a kick that hits against Yugo's arm.

Yugo smiles wide, opening his hand to grab his brother's leg, but Bakuryu already span around and attacked the other side, again blocked by an arm. This time Yugo brings his arm, which failed to grab a leg, onto a punch.

A hollow log is expelled off the rooftop, and the fight continues. To Yugo's concern, Bakuryu seemed to be a match for him. They were landing very few hits on each other, and their pace was equally matched.

Bakuryu kept dancing around him, doing his little pseudo-teleportations, but Yugo could see his attacks, his movements, and successfully defend and counter, but Bakuryu was now fast enough to react to Yugo's counters.

Alice watches, a little disgruntled for being made to do just that. It took them about 15 minutes to transform, and Yugo ended up transforming first. He'd be the most impatient one, obviously, but Bakuryu would take that to offense, she figured.

And he did.

"You want to beat me up that badly, is that it??" He shouts out, transforming into his mole self.

"I just want to get this over with. You know how impatient I can get."

"Well then, let's just go full power on forced transformations!" he bellows, spinning around, forcing a transformation over his normal transformation.

"Ken-"

"LET'S GO!" He screams, leaping against Yugo, who's forced to follow his example, lest he be bested.

Both transform and battle it out. A normal person would have interfered, but what a normal person would perceive as mortal wounds, Alice perceived as bruises and cuts that would heal anyways. So she just squints her eyes and holds in the need to pull the two brothers apart.

Meanwhile, they start taking hits, both of them. But it was odd, none of them were trying to pierce, slash, or bit the other. They were just kicking and punching, as aggressively as they could.

Over and over again, they punch each other. They kick each other.

"RAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRR!!!"

They punch each other so hard Alice can feel shockwaves coming from the clashes, as well as hints of blood, sweat and tears.

Alice was not that naïve, though. Pretty soon, she understood. Bakuryu was just venting, and Yugo was trying to beat him for needing to vent, for being a kid. She realized how easy it was to forget, that Bakuryu was 14 years old. A fact Yugo was apparently forgetting.

Crying his heart out, Bakuryu surpasses his maximum speed, amazingly becoming but a blur, as he punches Yugo about 30 times in the torso. Yugo takes it all, and then just coughs up blood as he brings his clenched fists on top of Bakuryu's head.

Bakuryu crushes the ground, making a small crater, and then receives a kick that sends him all the way to edge of the rooftop, where he grabs on.

He stands up, exhausted, bleeding, broken, not even with a firm left arm.

Yugo on the other hand is bent over with a hunchback, his left leg twitching, spitting blood.

"Damn brat." Yugo says, pissed and disgruntled. "Look what you're doing."

"What's the matter?! Don't you always win??" He asks, opening his arms in outrage. "Are you memories real, or false, Yugo?"

"They're real…you're just being an annoying brat…and have gotten a lot stronger, bro."

"Maybe I always was this strong. Maybe I always beat you." Bakuryu says, readying his arms for a lunge, going into a half-crouched stance.

Yugo brings his arm over, wiping his mouth. His smirks, patronizingly.

"Nah, bro. One day, maybe, but not yet."

"Grrrrr…" Bakuryu snarls, mad, as he starts running.

Yugo also starts running, pissed off. "You want a last clash?! FINE!" his eyes red as ever, the fur mixing in with the color of the moon. "I'll smack you down so hard the whole neighbourhood will feel it!"

Alice can't keep her eyes open when they clash. She closes them in the anticipation and emotional pain of the noise itself. Like a thunder, their clash is heard far and wide, loud and violent.

When she opens her eyes, they're both in the ground, amidst dust and debris. She thinks how incredible it was that the rooftop hadn't collapsed into the last floor of that building, and then walks forward, concerned.

"Yugo? Ken-?" She's interrupted, startled by movement. A normal Yugo is moving his arms for support.

"Yugo!" She runs to him, and helps him up. With hardship, he does get up. Bruised and cut, he looks down at his little brother, with Alice.

"Damn it…" He comments, bothered. "How many times will I have to beat up my own little brother?"

Alice looks at him, at his eyes, at his pain-filled eyes, as he says.

"It's getting so…fucking old…"

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review._

_Alright! I didn't feel like dragging on Yugo's and Bakuryu's fight, since everyone knows how it ends :P_

_I really hope you enjoyed this 10th chapter, and continue following the story. I promise, absolutely promise, I will have it finished soon. In terms of time, not chapters :)  
_

_Thanks a bunch, again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


	11. Chapter 11: This is who I really am!

_Another update. Loved doing this one, hope you like how it ends :P_

_As always, Every character and recognizable terms like Zoanthropes belong and/or are from the video-game Bloody Roar. Story line and adapted explanation of how their morphing works... is , any character not in the game is also mine._

_And that's that! I hope you enjoy the new chapter!_

--////----

Part 11: Who I really am.

"Finally, they've heard us." Shina comments, as she and Gado approach Acinon and Urinamia. "Good roar."

"Humpf, like I could even do a bad roar." Gado answers, as they land.

"Gado, Shina, you fled after all!"

"No, not really." Gado admits. "And good thing, too. Seems as though they were speaking the truth. We have our memory back. Turns out she's my daughter."

"Oh? Wow, well, family's family, I guess." Acinon admits, transforming back. "So what's the deal?"

"Quite simply, they're here to retrieve us. We crash-landed here, and they came to get us back." Gado explains.

"Oh, so that was it. Heh, sounds like you did me a bother, Uri." She jokes to the side, at Urinamia, who had not transformed back, and was keeping her distance.

"Urinamia? What's wrong?"

Urinamia diverts her gaze to the floor, attempts to grab the hem of her shirt, but can't find it due to the transformation, so her arms simply hug her belly without touching it.

"I…don't trust them."

"What? No they're cool, they-"

"Not them." She reacts, jerking her head to the side. "The grey hair, the not animal."

"Not animal?" Acinon questions.

"She's talking about Xion." Gado points out. "He killed Shenlong."

Acinon raises an eyebrow.

"Well… good, right?"

"Yes. It's alright, Urinamia. He's simply the leader; he had to do it to protect his men. Plus, Shenlong was being arrested along with Cronos, only for another reason. He's a criminal."

"…I was criminal here, for long time. Nobody tried to kill me."

"You never killed anyone, did you?"

"I…no."

"Then…"

"No." Urinamia reacts, flinching. "I…Acinon. It was nice…uhm…good luck."

"Wait!" But before they could do anything, Urinamia has exploded off the ground, high and fast, through the air.

Urinamia jumped on a rooftop, and then off it, as high as she could, through clouds and fog, landing on a tower. She grabs against its antenna, and looks around.

She wants to find Falcon. He would know what to do. He would listen to her, trust her feelings on the grey haired.

Nobody can catch him, no one can bring him down. She was sure to find him soon…definitely. So again, she jumps.

*

And so, as it stood, Bakuryu and Falcon had been apprehended, and were already in their capsules to receive their memories back. Long had entered his of his own accord. Acinon was on her way back, since she had been found last, and Urinamia was still running away. Eventually she'd collapse from exhaustion, though, or Falcon would wake up and then be sent to retrieve her.

Nagi was in her quarters, brushing her hair. She was thinking of how bothersome this mission had turned out, how many time bombs they had on their ship. Sooner or later, Cronos would attempt an escape, Ryoho was capable of immense power, should his true self awaken, and Uranos wasn't child's play either, taking into account her origins.

Reiji was a loose cannon, and also not to be underestimated, and his presence on this mission was suspicious, to say the least. Kohryus' too. He had been lent as reinforcement, but it was still odd, since he was their top assassin, Bakuryu's replacement.

Nara had been restless for days, and Xions' demeanour was a lot more intimidating than usual. Her 6th sense was through the roof, when near him, and multiple times had she actually felt her back being pierced. She didn't feel comfortable at all. Too many awkward variables, too many ways the mission could blow up in her face.

_I mean, why are we even here? Terrorist attack, supposedly, by a party loyal to the king, loyal to Cronos. But why did they attack? And why send so many to retrieve so few? Of course, they're not any few, and resistance was expected, but still… _

Not comfortable at all, not in the least.

Meanwhile, there was no telling what the humans were doing. The world leaders had called up a meeting, and had been holed up in some bunker for days now. She feared about the pods, and the technology they could engineer from them. She feared they could find a way to localize them, because they sure as hell had weapons to deal with them.

Not comfortable at all…

And so, one more tense-full day went by, as slowly as it damn could. Nagi oversees almost everything that goes on the ships, actively keeping tabs on their three atmospheric transport ships. Three times did she walk past Cronos cell, and always was he talking to his allies, shutting up the moment the door opens. He just smiled and smirked at Nagi, superior, confident, enraging.

Long is the first to come too. Nagi is there to greet him.

"Rise and shine, Long. Are you alright? Any head aches?" She asks.

"No." Long answers, plainly. "Quite the contrary. A lot of things make sense, now. May I ask where Uriko is? I would like to-"

"I have bad news, Long." Nagi interrupts him, a little heartless.

"Cronos killed her." She says, and is, in turn, completely taken aback by Long's reaction.

The sudden realization stirs something inside him, and his eyes focus into those of his former self, of the top underworld assassin. For one short moment, she shivered, her instincts almost forcing a transformation and immediate pre-emptive assault.

"And what are we doing about that?" Long asks, returning to his normal gaze, albeit a serious one.

"He's already marked for execution ba-"

"Good, I shall do it." He says, stepping forward.

"Long, there's something called law. He has to be trialled."

"…you're right." Long agrees, unconvinced.

Half a day later, Kenji woke up. A lot of mourning happened then. Long joined him, Yugo and Alice, as they did a small procession for Uriko's death. Jenny left Falcon's side for the second time since he was put there, to also attend it.

At about that time, Acinon arrived, and was put in the pod.

And now, Kenji has been moping around, depressed, and everyone else seems to share Nagi's discomfort.

Long and Fox talk a lot, privately, and Nagi feels like it has nothing to do with romance, and everything to do with the ship, and her mission.

Yugo and Alice join them sometimes, visit Falcon, they went to meet Cronos once, which resulted in making his cell off-limits, lest Cronos anger someone else into attacking him.

Meanwhile, Stun keeps to himself, as always, preferably in places with low visibility. He eats alone, sleeps alone, lives alone, and Nagi was mighty fine with that.

Falcon was healing, slowly, and Jenny rarely left his side.

"As soon as he wakes up, we'll send him for Urinamia. She's the only one missing." Nagi says, standing next to Jenny, looking at Falcon.

"And Busuzima…" Jenny remembers her argument with Falcon, about him.

"Yes, of course, though unfortunately." Nagi honestly states.

"Nagi."

"Yeah?"

"…nah, nothing. Boy oh boy, these last three years sure took a lot out of me."

Nagi observes Jenny. If she was talking about confidence, and the posture of a ruthless and cold virgin goddess, she was right. That had certainly been taken from her. Even though she got her memories back, she didn't seem so cold anymore. Or rather, she didn't seem so resistant; it looked like she yearned for warmth, someone's warmth. Or rather, it looked like she was full of warmth, and wanted to share it with everyone she cared for.

Nagi leaves, to check up on Urinamia. But as she leaves the room, Xion is there to meet her.

"Nagi, tell everyone to gather at the mess hall." He says, not wasting time.

"Sir?"

"I have an important announcement to make. Do it quickly, and follow me."

"Oh, ok. Yes, sir." She casually agrees.

She contacts the communications room, tells them to issue the order, and then follows Xion through the halls of the spaceship. He takes her to Cronos's cell room.

"Oh, hey there." Cronos greets. "Is it time?"

"Nagi." Xion says, seemingly ignoring Cronos, but in truth nodding. "He wants to speak with you."

"What? What do I care what that bastard wants?" Nagi asks, pissed.

Xion turns around, walking while saying:

"Trust me, you care."

He leaves, locking the door from the outside. A moment later, all the cages open up.

Nagi's heart almost leaps out of her chest, and finally Xion's talk of loyalty towards the superior flips the puzzle around, solving it. The whole puzzle develops and grows and completes, much to her dread. She steps back against the wall, transforming.

"STAY BACK!" She yells, threateningly.

Cronos doesn't get up, but all his allies do. They exit their cages, walking slowly towards Nagi, transforming.

"I am going to make my offer once, Nagi." Cronos says, eyes closed and an ever superior smile on his face. "Maybe twice, because you're so amusing. Join me, or perish."

"FUCK YOU!" She yells out, drawing her radio. "ALERT! Cronos has escaped, Xion is a traitor! I repeat, Xion is a traitor! I'm stuck in the prison ward, and he's let them out."

On another part of the ship, in the mess hall, our warriors are gathered in the middle, stuck close, turned against a wider circle of Zoanthropes wielding weapons, aimed at them. In the centre we can find the warriors who had crashed, but also some of the soldiers who were a part of the retrieval mission, like Greg and Mitsuko, and some unknowns.

Xion enters the mess hall, and looks upon very pissed individuals. Some didn't react, though, like Kenji or Stun, but Yugo, and the entire cast of felines were growling and snarling, enraged at the betrayal.

"Cronos is a god." Xion says, out loud. "Or at least, a super natural being that we cannot kill. He just rises up from the ashes, because he is superior. All of us follow his commands, so that we might be a part of his glorious world. This offer is now extended to you."

Back at the cell, Nagi receives no reply, but rather hears Xion's speech. She crushes the radio in her hand and, in tears, looks forward.

Cronos was thinking about whether to offer her a second chance. Deciding, he opens his eyes, and raises his smiling chin to look at her straight. Then he says:

"Join me, or perish."

Trembling, she sheds more tears, rage-filled tears. Why was she here? Why was she cursed with the spurious? Why was Xion betraying them, betraying her, after she let him live? She was just a normal woman, why did all this have to happen? And why couldn't she even consider the possibility of serving Cronos? She glances at the three of them, ending with Ryoho, at her left. He was massive, barely fit between the floor and ceiling, could barely move to the sides.

"Fuck…" She says, looking back at Cronos. "You." She squints her eyes in pure rage before abruptly jumping forward and left, at Ryoho.

The other two find it hard to attack her right then, due to how much space Ryoho was filling. She only needed a few moments, too. She slashes her blade at his head, obviously without much success, and then jumps back between him and the door.

He immediately focuses and shoots a powerful fireball, like a cannon, at a smirking Nagi. A great explosion of smoke and metallic debris is the result. It sounds out, making that half of the ship tremble.

When it clears, there's a hole in the door, and Nagi is nowhere to be seen.

"Oh…holy incompetence. Uranos, go kill her."

"Yes, sire." Uranos agrees, running off. Neither of the three had gotten their memories back, so their loyalty was still Cronos's. He smiles, getting out of the bed, and walking out.

"The two of you follow me, let's get to our subjects."

The explosion was heard in the mess hall. Xion utterly ignored it, not even ordering his men to react. He simply continues:

"If you should ignore his gracious invitation, we will have you annihilated."

"And what does he intend, exactly?" Long asks, adjusting his glasses.

"Take over Earth. We'll rule it, and mankind, with our superior technology and strength. We'll make our haven here, we'll make our heaven here."

"For fuck's sake, does any of you really believe that crap?" Yugo shouts, ticked off.

"The humans aren't as durable and tough, but they're as relentless and bold as we are. They won't just hand it over." Gado agrees.

"Nor do we count on them too. We will take it over, and they will thank us."

"What an idiot…" Long comments, bringing his hand to his forehead in embarrassment. Xion reacts, offended and aggressive.

"Now, are you with us? Or are you dead? Even if you can fight the weapons, there are a lot more of us, than there are of you. We can all transform, you do not stand a chan-"

Xion is interrupted by a very loud, very bored yawn. It's coming from one of the entrances, and it isn't Nagi. In fact, it doesn't seem to be anyone. The obnoxious yawn carries on for a few seconds, and only a few number of people figure out who it is.

"Hahahahahahaha, sorry to interrupt, I am." Busuzima comments, coming into clear view. "But I think what all of us really want to know, is what I've been doing this past day, on this very ship, right?" He grins his chameleon grin.

Stun reacts badly at the sight of Busuzima. He transforms, ready for blood, but is forced to stand still when everyone looks at him, Gado asking him, while extending his arm to stop him:

"What are you doing?! Stand down."

For some reason, Stun does calm down, though not back to his normal shape.

"You're stupid, Busuzima. There's nothing you can do here." Xion comments.

"Ohhhh, I very much disagree, I do. Ye see, ever since Cronos spoke about my true nature, I've been doin' stuff. You know, right? You could probably track me, you could, know where I was. But you've no idea." He warns, with mad-eyes full of adrenalin. "You've no idea who I am."

"Oh, we all do, Busuzima." Xion states. "Specially Stun. We all know who you are, what you are."

Busuzima grins, looking at the trapped circle of former allies. Yugo is looking at him, trying to discover how he was going to make the situation worst, looking at the villain. Bakuryu was sitting down, probably still dramatizing over Uriko, and Jenny was also looking at him, and in her eyes, he saw doubt. Just like back when she was being tortured, when she assumed he had left her and run away, she still had doubt about whether he had really abandoned her.

_Have I truly betrayed, I have? Am I truly evil, I am? That's the doubt I want to see, it is. _Busuzima thinks. He closes his grip firmly, and speeches:

"What Cronos said explained a lot, it did. There was a lot I wanted to discover, to do. I felt the need to completely understand us, I did. Maybe to even be able to make more of us, control the process, heh. I felt the need to experiment, I did, hehehehe." He laughs, scarily, his arms hanging down from his shoulders, his gaze going about the floor, looking through it.

"But ya know what? All that is past me. It's forgotten, literally speaking, right? This time, I'm choosin' not to go down that path, heh. To be subdued by the need to research, heh? I've found something I yearn more, than that, I have." Busuzima states, shockingly. "I yearn fer trust, I do. For friendship. And Xion, ma boy, that's bad news for you!"

"Pff, oh please, what can you possibly-"

"Ye know, just because I decided on this, doesn't mean I'm no scientist, right? I'm still yer hated scientist, I am…he he." He looks up, at Xion, and proudly informs:

"I reversed engineered the pods, and the chip inside me, to track you. With time, I also made the chip to not only react to our Zoanthrope DNA, but also to NULLIFY ITS TRANSFORMING ABILITIES!"

Everyone in the room reacts, shocked, and in awe, at this sudden realization. In just under a few days?!

"AND XION! Ha ha…" Busuzima grins, opens his eyes wide, mad with success and an expression he made when Shenlong took his first breath, and says: "I'VE INJECTED EVERYONE HERE!!!"

At that, they realize why the soldiers that were with them hadn't transformed. Only Yugo, Gado, Shina, Acinon, Stun, Alice and Jenny had transformed. Bakuryu hadn't yet but, apparently, he could.

"Except for my allies, duh." Busuzima adds.

They look around, at startled looks of confusion and dread, at an annoyed Xion, who has been checked mated out of this universe. Things have just utterly changed, the board was not what everyone there thought it was.

In fact, the board was wiped clean by a mischievous Chameleon, who then set it back as well he liked.

"As far as I'm concerned, I was born three years ago! I grew up in completely different circumstances, I did. And in those, I met people I want to be loyal too!" Busuzima bends his head back, looking at the ceiling with eyes closed.

Then, before all hell broke loose, so it didn't start with him, he fades away. As he fades away, he firmly and proudly states:

"This is who I really am!"

-/- -/- -/-

_THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review._

_Alright! Hope you liked Busuzima's little plot twist. I also liked doing Nagi's bit on the cell block...hope you did too ^_^_

_I really hope you enjoyed this 11th chapter, and continue following the story. I promise, absolutely promise, I will have it finished soon. In terms of time, not chapters :)  
_

_Thanks a bunch, again, sya next time._

_Kuzco_


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